My Experience with Building a New Construction Home with D.R Horton
My Experience with Building a New Construction Home with D.R Horton All the details of my home buying experience with D.R Horton I just got done building my home with Dr. Horton the nations largest new construction home builder right here in Vero Beach. In this video I'm going to go over my experience with Dr. Horton and the pros and cons I had building my home with them. I'm going to give you all the nitty gritty details that I learned, that you need to know if you’re considering buying a new construction home. I'm going to try to answer all the questions you may have but if I don't get to your specific question feel free to reach out to me by phone or e-mail and we can have a more in depth conversation. I’m a real estate agent here on florida’s east coast and I’d love to help in your home search. Starting the Search I started my home search in the beginning of 2023 when rates were floating around 7%. First, I started looking at resale homes around 325,000 since that's what I was able to get approved for when buying a resale home. In January I put in a full price 325,00k offer on a property that was a three-bedroom 2 bath home with 1350 square feet. However I like many others in this crazy market was outbid and the house went for over asking price. I was gutted, I felt defeated and for the first time I felt the disappointment and uncertainty that some of my buyers clients have felt, and it was humbling. It was at that time where I took a step back, extended my timeline, and started looking at other options. I always had new construction in the back of my mind but thought I wouldn't get approved for it since I only got approved for 325,000 when buying resale homes. I had a fantastic conversation with my mortgage lender and she informed me that with the builders special interest rates, lower insurance costs, and closing costs credits I would be able to afford much more when buying a new construction home compared to a resale home. Shortly after our conversation I got approved for 350k, and just like that I started diving into the world of new construction. About two weeks after I got approved, I got informed by Dr. Horton Rep that they were planning to build a Cali model on a vacant lot here in Vero beach. It was everything I was looking for, it was in the perfect location, the floorplan I wanted, and the price I wanted, so needless to say, I bought it that day. The Cali Model I was able to buy the Cali model from Dr. Horton which is a four bedroom 2 bathroom home that has 1828 square feet and it cost $343,000. The home sits on 1/4 acre, and has a canal and preserve in the back so I don't have to worry about neighbors building there. I built on a spot lot in the vero beach highlands which means it's in a non gated non HOA community. Compared to the home I put an offer on at 325,000, this new construction home had 500 extra square feet an extra bedroom it was on 1/4 acre instead of .17 acres, it was built in 2023 instead of 2005, and it backed up to a preserve. One would think that the 1300 sqft home that I got outbid on would have a smaller monthly payment than the new construction home, right? Theres where you’d be mistaken, and the main reason why I ultimately chose to go with new construction. Dr Horton often offers special interest rates if you use their in-house lender, DHI Mortgage. With DHI Mortgage I was able to get a 4.99% interest rate when rates were floating around 7%. Keep in mind that for every 1% of interest rate that you can save, your payment will go down hundreds of dollars per month. So, for me getting a 2% lower interest rate was going to save me anywhere from 450-550 dollars per month, or roughly 5-6k less in interest per year. Over the life of my 30-year loan that equates to $150,000 less in interest that I will have to pay, which is incredible. In addition, they also contributed $18,000 towards my closing costs. If you can believe it or not, I'm only out of pocket roughly $10,000 for this home, and that was the initial $10,000 deposit I had to put down in January. In addition, when buying a new construction home, you'll have more options for insurance. I was able to get a $1500 insurance plan through one of Florida’s top insurance providers frontline. Keep in mind you can go with other insurance companies that are cheaper, but they cover less. The lowest insurance I got quoted on was around 950 per year. On top of that everything in your house is going to be brand new from your roof to your flooring to your countertops to your appliances you won't have to worry about fixing them or having insurance issues for a very long time. Now admittedly not everything is all sunshines and rainbows when it comes to buying a new construction house and there were some hiccups in the process that made it frustrating, let me explain. The Cons of New Construction Originally, they estimated this home to be done September 15th. Around halfway through the building process they were making a good time and they moved up the estimated completion date to August 1st. Once they got to the stage where they needed to connect power to the home, Florida power and light took 5 weeks to connect my home to power which pushed back the completion date to October. On top of that a berm needed to be redone in my backyard which pushed out completion a week further, so we ended up closing October 16th. So, we went from planning to move into the home August 1st to actually moving in the 16th. If you're buying on a spot lot this is absolutely something you need to consider before you buy. It's different if you're in a community because it's very streamlined, but if you're buying a new construction on a spot lot you have consider that potential delay. For me it wasn't a big deal since I had family to stay with however if you're coming down from out of state this can be a huge issue and cause a lot of stress. I can only imagine if I was out of state and I planned movers and everything for August 1st, only for it to close 2 1/2 months later. We were so excited to get into our new home, so that last 2 1/2 months really drained us because we were already mentally checked out and ready to move from the family place. Another hiccup was with my mortgage lender. To get the special interest rate and 18k in closing credits you must go with Dr. Horton’s lender DHI mortgage. During the process my original loan officer either got fired or quit and was no longer working with the company. My file was supposed to get transferred to another loan officer to take over, but it wasn’t. So there was a good month or two that I didn’t hear from my loan officer and I was in the dark. I reached out to her through email and by phone call numerous times and never got a response. I finally told other DR Horton reps, and figured out she was no longer working for the company and only then did I get a message from a new loan officer. Silver lining to this was my new loan officer named John was really awesome and he was always on the ball looking out for my best interests. I was also disappointed in was the lack of customization options I got because I bought a spot Lots. The buying process for spot lots is a little different compared to the buying process for a new construction home in a HOA community. With spot lots, Dr. Horton has already ordered materials specifically for my build so I had zero options when it came to customizing furnishings, tile, countertops, etcetera. When buying in an HOA community a lot of times you have more customization options and the building process is more streamlined. So with no customization options, my house came with tile in the main living area, carpet in the bedrooms, and Formica countertops throughout. For me this works for my budget, but I know for others they're going to want options when it comes to upgrades and that is not something a spot lot can get you with DR Horton. One thing I was able to change was the paint color of the outside of my house. I went with the tan color for the exterior, with black paint for the accents on the door and shutters. Another inconvenience when buying a new construction home would be that it comes completely unfurnished and when I say completely unfurnished, I mean completely unfurnished. Not only will you need furniture such as couches, tables, chairs beds etcetera for each room you will also need to buy extra light fixtures, fans, blinds, curtains, I'm talking everything. And I don't know if you all have been home decor shopping recently, but the prices are ridiculous. For each fan it was $170 and for each blind it was $180, so just to get lights and a little bit of privacy it was $350 each room, So in total I spent $1400 in just fans and blinds. Another thing you'll want to do is paint the interior because it comes in shell white. They do this to lower costs and give you the option to paint whatever interior color you want. I was able to paint the main living areas but if you have to hire it out know that that is probably going to cost you a few thousand dollars. In addition most of DR Horton homes don't come with a washer dryer or refrigerator, so you'll have to budget for that. Keep in mind that some communities do you offer appliances, so this the appliance package depends on the community you build in. Some other very little things that were frustrating was for some reason my door was painted brown instead of black like I wanted. And it was that really gross color brown that looks like you know what, so needless to say I had them change that immediately. And lastly I thought the communication could have been a little bit better. Conclusion Even with these inconveniences overall I'm extremely happy with my new home. Compared to buying an older resale home it just doesn't make any sense. If I were to find a replica of this exact same house on the market, I'd be looking at paying upwards of 400K or more with a 8% interest rate. So right away it's nice to know that I have equity in my home and if anything ever went wrong I could always sell and make a quick buck. You know I always tell people if you have the luxury of time and patience I always would recommend buying a new construction home. You'll pay significantly less compared to resale, you'll have a discounted interest rate, you'll get your closing cost paid for, and you'll have a brand new home that you won't have to worry about for years to come. So everyone that was my experience building with Dr. Horton, I hope that this video was valuable and informative to you if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. YouTube clients are my favorite clients and I love working with them so like I said don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. Spencer.Bailey507@gmail.com507-951-2934
Pros and Cons of Buying New Construction Home
Benefits of Buying a New Construction Home Should you buy new construction in Vero Beach or Sebastian Florida? So you're interested in new construction homes in either Vero Beach or Sebastian, well you've come to the right place. My name is Spencer Bailey and I'll be your local guide and real estate agent going over the benefits of owning a new construction home, tips for buying new construction homes here, as well as different communities that are currently building. Behind me is actually my home that is currently being built, that is right I'm a real estate agent that also bought a new construction home, and I'll go over why I ultimately chose to build a new home right here in the heart of Vero Beach. Benefits of Buying New Construction Starting off with a few benefits of buying a new construction home versus buying a resale home that has already been built. There are a few big benefits of buying a new construction home one of which is a lot of times if you use the lender associated with the builder you can get a lower interest rate. A lot of times builders will give you money towards buying down your down interest rate. For example on this home, if the interest rate was at 6% I could get a 5 1/2 percent interest rate with the money they give me from the buy down. If you're like me this is a big deal because even a half of percent can be hundreds of dollars off your mortgage payment. Another big benefit to buying a new construction home is most builders will pay for your closing costs which is roughly on average 2.3 percent of the total home purchase price. So let's say you were buying a home for 350,000. Closing costs would roughly be around $8000 that you would have to pay. I currently know Dr. Horton is contributing $8000 towards my closing costs which should pay for almost all of my closing costs associated with the home Im building. These numbers change often so by the time you're watching this video the numbers that they give you for the buy down on your interest rate and the numbers they gave you for closing costs may have changed so keep that in mind. Another big benefit of buying a new construction home would be that everything is brand new, it will be easier to sell in the future, and your insurance is going to be lower. Insurance is a huge problem for a lot of buyers and sellers down here on Florida’s East Coast so having a brand new home where you don't have to worry about insurance is a huge benefit. In addition Unlike resale homes, new construction offers the latest design trends, energy-efficient features, and modern amenities. So if you have the luxury of time, I would definitely look in to buying a new construction home rather than a resale. 5 Tips for Buying New Construction Now let's go over 5 tips that I have for you if you're considering buying a new construction home. Do thorough research: Take the time to research different builders, their reputations, and their track records. Look for testimonials and reviews from previous homebuyers to gauge their satisfaction with the builder's quality and customer service. Visit model homes: Touring model homes can give you a sense of the builder's craftsmanship, layout options, and available features. Pay attention to the quality of materials used and the overall design to ensure it aligns with your preferences. Understand the builder's warranty: Familiarize yourself with the builder's warranty and what it covers. Know the duration of coverage and any specific terms or conditions. A comprehensive warranty can provide peace of mind and protect you from potential issues after move-in. Get everything in writing: Ensure that all agreements, warranties, and changes to the standard features are documented in writing. This includes any customization requests, upgrades, or modifications you discuss with the builder. Clear communication and written documentation help avoid misunderstandings. Work with a specialized realtor: Partner with a realtor who has experience with new construction homes. They can guide you through the process, negotiate on your behalf, and ensure your interests are protected. They may also have insights into the local market and specific builders. Different Communities Now let's go over a few new construction communities in the vero beach area As well as a few scatter plot options. Scatter plot refers to a new construction home that is not in a new construction community. For example my house that I'm building in Vero Beach right now with Dr. Horton is a scatter plot home as it is in the Vero Beach Highlands which is a non HOA neighborhood. I didn't get a whole lot of options as far as furnishings and upgrades for my new construction home because it was a scatter plot. I know a lot of times if you build in communities they often order a lot more material where you have a lot more options to pick and choose your upgrades and furnishings. As for Sebastian new construction, most of that is going to be scatterplot since Sebastian Highlands makes up the majority of the residential area. Sebastian Highlands is a non HOA community and I believe currently Dr. Horton is building six or seven homes on scatterplot homes in Sebastian. There is going to be a new construction community coming to Sebastian very soon called blue water Bay. It is going to be very close to vero lake estates, and we should get more information on the community hopefully soon. if you have any questions or want to know a little bit more about a specific community feel free to reach out to me anytime and I would love to get that information over to you. By the time you're watching this a lot of things might have changed so like I said if you have any questions or want an update on the current new construction communities that are being built on florida's East Coast reach out to me anytime. I hope that gave you a better understanding of new construction here on florida's East Coast, I'm Spencer Bailey with Exp Realty and I will see you on the next video take care Spencer.Bailey507@gmail.com507-951-2934
The Best Neighborhoods in Sebastian, Florida
The Best Neighborhoods in Sebastian, Florida A first hand look at Sebastian River Landing, Collier Club, Sebastian Highlands, and more So you’re thinking about moving right here to Sebastian Florida and you want to know a little more about the neighborhoods and subdivision that make up Sebastian. Well in today’s post, I'm going to be showcasing some Subdivisions and neighborhoods giving you a first-hand look at what you can expect when buying a home in Sebastian FL. And make sure to stay till the end where I give you a little insight on why my MY family moved right here to Sebastian. Hey everyone, my name is Spencer bailey and I’m a local Real Estate Agent here in Sebastian Florida. If you are thinking about moving down here to Florida’s east coast or have a question about moving to Florida’s east coast, go ahead and give me a call text or email, id love to help you out, and maybe answer a few of your questions. But enough of that, lets get started taking a look at our first community Sebastian river landing OK so starting off with Sebastian River landing this is one of the bigger subdivisions that Sebastian has to offer with around 350 to 400 homes. It's not gigantic but like I said it is one of the bigger subdivisions in Sebastian. This community really to me feels perfect for a growing family you have a good mix of two-story homes in the neighborhood and overall, the houses seem fairly large. the average square footage in this neighborhood is 2212 square feet so the homes here are on the larger side. The HOA fee is very reasonable and comes in at $49 a month which is payable quarterly this pays for the amenities such as the community pool basketball and tennis courts. The fee also covers maintenance for the common areas, reserve funds, and security for the Subdivision. As you can see the landscaping is very nice and everything looks well taken care of and now we can start to see those big family homes that I was talking about. the average home sale price in sebastian river landing the last 180 days is 400,000 with the average days on market being 84 days. the lowest property in here in the last 180 days went for 350,000 and the highest sold in here went for 465,000. The north side of Sebastian river landing is phase one and that is where a lot of the two-story bigger homes are as we go across the bridge here we are now entering into phase two which is only single story homes I believe there is only 2 story home in phase two. Gorgeous day out today and one thing that I noticed compared to other subdivisions is that Sebastian river landing is very open there's not a whole lot of very tall trees so you get that nice open air feeling and on a gorgeous day like today it looks really nice. Here is one of the houses that I have sold in the past in this community. That 100 Salazar lane. 4 bed 2 bath home that’s 2700 square feet. Like I said the homes here tend to be on the bigger side. Another reason I say this neighborhood is family oriented is because this is the place to be on Halloween if you're looking for trick or treating. Every year tons and tons of kids come to the subdivision because people go all out for Halloween putting out decorations And handing out candy for the kids. Its really impressive and there are a few people in the neighborhood who go all out for the kids so definitely consider it if you have small kids. In conclusion it's a really wholesome community, the HOA is not super strict where they're going to be getting on your butt about small violations, so it's just overall a really great place to be if you want a nice quiet HOA or have a growing family. Collier Club OK so now let's move on to another bigger subdivision for Sebastian and that is the Collier club. To me this community is a little bit more focused on retirees rather than growing families compared Sebastian River landing. there are much fewer two-story homes in the community, the average square footage is lower around 1800, and the prices are a little higher in the subdivision With the average sale price being around 452,000. there are also a lot more amenities and the clubs that cater to older residents. for example, they have Yoga club, bridge club and other clubs and activities for retirees to enjoy. still a great place to raise a family and there are definitely families in the subdivision but when comparing it to Sebastian river landing Collier club tends to cater more towards retirees rather than growing families. the houses here seem a little bit more upscale focused on quality rather than square footage. actually just had a listing in here cell at 303 swallowtail lane and it was absolutely gorgeous I'll put up some photos. Congrats to my buyers and my sellers on that one, it was a beautiful home. Also When I was doing an open house on that property, all the neighbors came because they love the community and they either want their friend or family to move in the community. Very good sign when the all the neighbors say the love the community. The HOA fee here is reasonable coming in around $81.00 a month. This includes access to the clubhouse the community pool game room, tennis and basketball courts. Another thing I like about the Collier club is that they have tons of sidewalks for walking your pet or just taking a stroll. they also have benches everywhere in case you need to sit down mid walk, or you just want to take in the gorgeous day. In conclusion the Collier club is a great community to live in and is one of the bigger subdivisions in Sebastian. the subdivision is great for retirees who are looking for higher priced and upscale homes. There is plenty of amenities and clubs to keep you busy And the overall atmosphere is very nice and thus with vegetation. Collier club is also a great place to raise a family although you might want to check Sebastian river landing out first. Sebastian highlands OK now let's move on to the biggest neighborhood in Sebastian where most of the homes are, and that is the neighborhood called the Sebastian Highlands. The Sebastian Highlands is a non HOA community that makes up the majority of sebastians residential area. think of it as one big neighborhood where no one is telling you what to do. This comes with its pros and its cons. For the pros you don't have anyone telling you what to do you have no mandatory monthly fees you can build change and paint your house however you would like, and overal gives you more freedom. One big con of living in a non HOA community such as the Sebastian Highlands would be however that everyone can do what they want. if your neighbor wanted to paint their house lime green stay up all night playing music and have six cars in the yard, they can. if they wanted to have four dogs In their backyard all the time and they didn't take care of their property, that is going to adversely affect the value of surrounding properties so you really don't get that conformity that an HOA can provide. with that being said there are definitely parts of the Sebastian Highlands with higher value homes and parts of Sebastian islands with lower value homes. As you can see here there are some very high value homes up to 800,000 most of them being around the 350- $400,000 price range. this is a good part of the neighborhood as far as home values. however just a mile away off Schumann Dr you start to get homes that are dipping into the $200,000 range that are not as valuable or desirable. One of the reasons houses are less valuable on the east side is solely because of the train that runs along US 1. Color reason is that those are typically older homes and as Sebastian expanded outward the houses got progressively newer. The average home sale price here is around $350,000 with the average days on market being around 60 days. one thing i really like about fashion highlands is that it has so many parks within the neighborhood. I mean look at how many parks are on this map right now it's impressive. Smashing Florida is also a fairly safe place to live. There's just not a lot of shenanigans going on and that's why I think it's a great place to raise a family. Check out the crime rates yourself before moving down but overall it's a great family environment. Vero Lake Estates OK moving on to our last and final neighborhood and that is Vero lake estates. technically it's a Vero Beach address however it is right next to Sebastian and a lot of Sebastian residents live there so I'm going to include it in this video. Vero lake estates is another non HOA neighborhood just like Sebastian Highlands but there are a few big differences. First the prices in Vera lake estates are cheaper. The average home price is around 330 which is 20,000 less than Sebastian Highlands. also another big difference that I'm sure you may have noticed already is that they have mostly dirt roads in vero lake estates lake estates. the main roads are paved but almost all of the side roads are sandy dirt roads. Another big difference between Sebastian islands and Vero lake estates is that Vero lake estates has a ton of undeveloped vacant lots of land whereas in Sebastian almost all of it is fully developed and there are not many vacant lots left. you see a lot of new construction in Vero lake estates because of the lots for sale so if you're thinking about getting a brand new home, Building in Vero lake estates is a very cost effective option. A good amount of the vacant lots do have Gopher tortoises on them however and can cost a lot of money to rehome them so make sure to get that checked before buying a lot in Vero lake estates. Just like like Sebastian highlands it's a non HOA community so the same pros that applied for Sebastian Highlands apply for Vero lake estates. You have some areas that are better than others and higher value, and there’s a big difference in home values. It's also very close to I-95 which is very convenient for traveling or a work commute. Ok so now I want to briefly tell you a little bit about why my family ultimately chose Sebastian to call home. so my family and I moved here to Sebastian at the end of 2014 and we moved down from Minnesota, and it was a huge shock to say the least. At first, im going to be honest, I didn’t really like living here and I just wanted to move back to what I knew back in Minnesota. But after months of living here and getting accustomed to the weather and all the outdoor activities this area has to offer, we are now very happy with our decision and we are so glad we took the leap. The reason we chose Sebastian was because it really embraced the boating and outdoor lifestyle that my family and I were accustomed to. It also is a smaller town which is what we like, and no one is in a big rush to get anywhere around here. The weather is so beautiful around here and the atmosphere in Sebastian is so unique and hard to replicate. My family and I are laid back people who love the outdoors. We take full advantage of what Sebastian has to offer weather its setting snow crab traps, fishing the inlet, or taking the boat of to the islands, you will always find our family doing something outdoors, and that is probably the biggest reason why Sebastian was the place we chose to move to. So guys those are my picks for the best places to live in Sebastian FL whether you're a retiree's growing family or looking to my new construction homes there is something for everyone here in Sebastian FL. Sebastian overall is a great town I'm super happy that I moved here eight years ago from Minnesota. it's a huge change but I love living here. the lifestyle is fantastic. tons of things to do outdoors whether it's taking a hike and enjoying nature or taking the boat out and catching some fish there are a ton of activities that get you outside and active. The Indian River is also one of the most biodiverse pastor wearies in all of North America so it's a great place to explore and grow up around. but there you have it those were my four neighborhoods that I would suggest looking into if you're thinking about moving to Sebastian. I would also recommend reaching out to me if you have any questions about moving. I have helped a lot of clients find their perfect home here and relocate just as I did 8 years ago when I moved down. anyways everyone that's it for the video I hope you guys enjoyed if you did please make sure to leave a like and subscribe to the channel for more contact. Spencer.Bailey507@gmail.com507-951-2934 Thank you for reading!
Affordable Homes in Sebastian Florida
Affordable Homes in Sebastian Florida Moving to the East Coast? Here are some budget friendly houses in the best neighborhoods Are you searching for an affordable home in Sebastian Florida or are just curious what your money can get in here? If so, this video is perfect for you. I'll cover all the essential details for purchasing a budget-friendly home in Sebastian, and we will take a look at some affordable properties currently on market. First, we will explore properties under 200,000, then the 200 to $300,000 range, and the 3 to $400,000 range. We'll finish by looking at some affordable new construction opportunities. This video is packed with valuable information, so sit back, relax, and enjoy. Hey, everyone! I'm Spencer Bailey, a local realtor here on Florida's East Coast. In my recent video, I showcased multi-million-dollar new construction homes on the island. Today, I'm focusing on those with a more modest budget. Not everyone has a million dollars lying around—myself included—so I'm right there with you. I recently purchased in the mid $300,000 range, providing a unique perspective as both a local realtor and someone who's been through the home-buying process in this price range. Now, let's dive into our first set of properties under 200,000. 0-200k: In Sebastian, there are currently 4 properties under 200,000—3 condos and 1 mobile home. If you're not into condos or mobile homes, scroll down to the next section of this article. The 3 condos under 200,000 are in the gated community of Sebastian Lakes. The lowest-priced unit is 189,000, offering a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with 960 square feet. Check out these photos to get an idea of what you can get for that price point. The condominium community offers tennis, pickleball, bocce courts, a clubhouse, a fitness center, and a heated pool. Keep in mind; there's a monthly fee of roughly 500, covering trash removal, sewer, water, cable TV, lawn care, master insurance, and access to the clubhouse and amenities. Moving on, let's briefly discuss mobile homes in Breezy Village. It's a 55+ mobile home community. Currently, there are no active listings under 200,000, but 3 mobile homes are pending under 200,000. Here are some pictures to showcase what you can get there. The mandatory monthly fee here is only $50, making it great for someone in retirement on a fixed income. There's also a mobile home in Orange Heights priced at 200,000. It's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom home with 728 square feet. This property is not in an HOA, so no mandatory monthly fees. 200k-300k So, that’s what’s available under 200k. Now, let's shift our focus to what you can get in the 200-300k price range. In this price range, we have single-family detached homes, as well as condos and mobile homes. Starting with single-family homes, there are currently 7 different options available in the Sebastian Highlands. These homes range from a quaint 2-bedroom, 2-bath frame home with 988 square feet for 210 thousand to a three-bedroom, 2-bathroom concrete block home with 1224 square feet for 299k. The home for 299 thousand, built in 2002, features a brand-new roof, brand new AC, 2023 appliances, and a fully fenced-in private backyard with a storage shed. This is one of the better deals I've seen in the Sebastian Highlands. If you're interested, reach out, and we can discuss further. Other options in this price range include a three-bedroom, 2-bath frame home with 1200 square feet. It has a 2022 roof and new kitchen cabinets and countertops. Additionally, there's a three-bedroom, 2-bathroom frame home with 1326 square feet. This renovated home features brand new vinyl flooring, a fenced-in backyard, a new updated kitchen, and a brand-new roof There's also that 2-bed, 2-bath home with 988 square feet for 210 thousand. This home is listed as coming soon, so there's not a lot of information, but it would work well for someone who doesn't need a lot of space and is looking for a lower-priced option. Real quick, let's talk about condos in this price range. In this price range for condos, you still have the community we discussed earlier, Sebastian Lakes. Now, as we expand into the mid to high 200 thousands, you can also consider Reflections on the River and Pelican Pointe. For Reflections on the River, you are located right on the Indian River lagoon and have access to the community dock. If you have a boat, this is a huge plus. Units here are right around 1200 square feet with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Some amenities include a community pool, clubhouse, tennis courts, billiards room, and, as mentioned earlier, a community boat ramp. The monthly HOA fee here is a little higher at 728. However, it covers cable TV, common area insurance, sewer, trash, water, and access to the clubhouse. For Pelican Pointe Condominiums, the available unit for 260 is a two-bedroom, 2-bath with 1060 square feet. This community has resort-style amenities like the last communities we talked about, and it also stands out as it has a small community golf course. 300k - 400k Moving on to the three to $400,000 price range, we have a lot more options to choose from. Most of the properties are going to be in the Sebastian Highlands and in a non-gated neighborhood. However, in this price range, we're going to see a few that pop up in gated neighborhoods, and we'll go over those in a second. You're also going to be able to choose from a few different new construction options that I’ll go over as well. In this price range, we're going to see more concrete block homes become available, offering more square footage, more bedrooms, newer homes, and some properties with pools as well. Take, for example, this four-bedroom, 2-bathroom home with 1572 square feet in the Sebastian Highlands priced at 320 thousand. This house has a pool in the backyard, a 2024 roof, and a large updated kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Pools cost a lot nowadays, so the fact that you can get a good-sized home that has four bedrooms, a new roof, and a pool for under 320,000 is pretty incredible for our current market. Keep in mind; this is still a frame home, so that is something to consider. If there's no way you're considering a frame home and you’re set on getting a concrete block home, here are the options you have in this price range. One unique property that stands out in this list is the property off Bay Harbor. This property has a garage conversion, so you get more square footage and an extra bed and bathroom. This is a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home that is 2477 square feet and has 2 owner suites. For those who don't know, owner suites are when the bedroom attaches directly to the bathroom. This is a really nice touch for your guests as they won't have to walk out of their private room to go to the bathroom. There is also a nice covered lanai out back, where you can have a nice coffee and enjoy the weather. For someone who doesn't really care for a garage and likes the extra space and the extra bed and bathroom, this would be a perfect option. As I mentioned earlier, you now will start having options in gated communities in this price range as well, such as Collier Club and Sebastian River Landing. Collier Club and Sebastian River Landing are going to be Sebastian’s two biggest gated communities. I've sold and bought homes in both, and let me tell you they're very nice family-friendly gated neighborhoods in Sebastian. In Sebastian River Landing, we have two options in this price range, both four-bedroom, two-bathroom homes. One was built in 2013 with 1983 square feet, with a nice fenced-in backyard, while the other property was built in 2005, has 1912 square feet, and has a nice screened-in lanai with a garden in the backyard. For Collier Club, we have one option available, and that is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with 2140 square feet. This home also has a covered lanai and backs up to the Sebastian municipal golf course, so you have no neighbors and wide-open space behind you. In my opinion, Sebastian River Landing has bigger homes, and the community is geared more towards families. A lot of the homes there are two stories to accommodate those large families. Collier Club, on the other hand, opts for smaller homes but better appointed and more upgrades, and it tends to cater to the older homeowners. The HOA fees for Sebastian River Landing are around $53 a month, while Collier Club's monthly fees are $82. New Construction: Like I said earlier, in this price range, you're going to get introduced to new construction, which has been a very popular choice recently with rates being as high as they are. This is the route I ended up going, and I built the Cali model with Dr. Horton. With Dr. Horton, you get $18,000 towards your closing costs, and they offer you a stellar interest rate. I was able to lock in a 4.99% interest rate when rates were floating around 7.5%, so it was a no-brainer to me. If you're heavily considering new construction, I'd watch the video I made of my experience building new construction with DR Horton and the pros and cons I had throughout the entire process. I'll leave the video in the top right corner for you to watch. On individual lots in Sebastian, Dr. Horton only builds Cali model homes, which is a four-bedroom, two-b athroom home with 1828 square feet. This is the floor plan that I bought, and I absolutely love it. It is a very common floor plan throughout Florida. Here are all the Cali model floor plans that Dr. Horton is planning to build in Sebastian. You'll also have lower-priced new construction options, such as this property off New Hall Terrace, built by Holiday Home Builders. It's a two-bedroom, two-bathroom concrete block home that has 1239 square feet and a one-car garage. This home is priced at $328,000, and that includes the lot, so you won't pay extra for that. There's another new construction opportunity off 130th St. This is a three-bed, two-bath home with a one-car garage and 1197 sqft, on an oversized 0.3-acre lot. Another area with a lot of new construction happening is Vero Lake Estates. Although technically not Sebastian, it borders Sebastian and is a very short drive away. In general, this area has more affordable homes. A home that would sell in Sebastian for $350,000 probably would go for around $325,000 here in Vero Lake Estates. Vacant land prices are also around half the cost as they are in Sebastian. Quarter-acre lots in Sebastian can go from $60,000 to $80,000 depending on location, and in Vero Lake Estates, it's closer to $30,000 to $40,000 for a quarter-acre lot. So, everyone, that is what Sebastian has to offer when it comes to affordable homes. I didn't go over every single property or community, but hopefully, I gave you a good idea of what your money can get you here in Sebastian, Florida. Of course, if you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call anytime. Spencer.Bailey507@gmail.com507-951-2934
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