Yes, let’s tackle this topic. It’s the most common question in Miami and the biggest concern for Baby Boomers and Generation X: “If I sell my house in Miami, where do I move?”
One of my favorite responses is simple:
Where would you like to move?
It might seem like a trivial question, but often the answer is simpler than people think.
Many tell me they want to move to a quieter place, with less traffic, or closer to their children. That’s how easy it is to find the motivation to move. It’s not just about money; it’s about where you want to be and how you want to live.
Now, if you’re thinking that I’m going to tell you that this is the perfect time to buy in Miami, relax, we’re not going there. Don’t close the post yet.
Yes, Miami has become VERY EXPENSIVE, no doubt about it. But this has its positives and negatives. Positive, because if you bought your house at least two years ago, its value has likely increased significantly. Negative, because moving will be more expensive than back then. More expensive than what your house is worth now? Probably NOT.
Maybe you’re reading this and feeling frustrated because you don’t own a house and would love to buy one, but prices and interest rates are too high. In that case, I invite you to read my previous email where I explain that this has been the thought of many over the years. Here it is.
When you’re done reading it, come back here because this will also be interesting.
Now that we’re alone, let’s continue.
Do you remember my email from a few weeks ago? I talked about a retired couple who wanted to sell their large house to move to a more comfortable place. (Here it is).
Let’s call them Pedro and Angela.
They sold their house for $820,000, after buying it in 2008 for $415,000. Now they wanted something smaller and, of course, cheaper.
When they returned from their trip to Europe, Luis Rivera, Realtor, decided to meet them at our office to start a more serious search.
Pedro wanted to move to a quieter place in Florida and, at first, Angela agreed. So, we started there. New construction was an excellent option due to closing incentives and preferential interest rates below 6%.
Maybe they could move to Jacksonville, where they could buy a single-family home for less than $280,000. Yes, it’s true. Look here.
But it seemed too far, and Angela wasn’t willing. However, Pedro didn’t rule out the idea of moving away from Miami, so we considered Ocala, an hour from Orlando, a quiet city with single-family homes for less than $300,000. You can see them here.
But Angela rejected the idea; an hour from Orlando was too much.
“Closer to Orlando, maybe?” – She asked.
“OF COURSE!” – Luis Rivera replied without hesitation.
He proposed his secret card: Davenport, where a new construction property can cost less than $350,000. Of course, they didn’t believe it until he showed them this.
Angela seemed upset, but Pedro was smiling.
We gently asked her opinion. She looked at her husband and he became serious.
“We would like to be closer to Miami, within three hours if possible. But these prices are fine to buy,” she said.
Although we already saw where this was going, the Realtor Luis Rivera gave them three other options outside Miami.
We had Port St. Lucie, with prices of $400,000 or less; Cape Coral, with prices below $350,000; and finally, Ave Maria, a completely new and charming town with prices under $435,000. All three options are within three hours of Miami, especially Ave Maria, which is an hour and a half away.
The last option thrilled them. They saw photos, analyzed prices and the growth of the place over the years. It seemed ideal to buy a house there now, thinking that the houses would be worth more in the future.
They decided to visit in person, so Mi Casa Team accompanied them.
Pedro was delighted: the peace, the size of the houses, the spacious lots, it was everything he wanted for retirement. The children could visit them, and they could go to Miami whenever they wanted. It was perfect! According to Pedro.
Angela, however, didn’t seem happy; she found faults in small things that her husband quickly refuted. Clearly, there was something more.
Saraí Morales spoke privately with Angela while Luis Rivera walked around with Pedro. Angela finally opened up: she liked the houses and the town, but she couldn’t stop thinking about her grandchildren. She loved having them at her house and picking them up from school each week. Ave Maria was perfect, but it would distance her from her grandchildren.
This was completely understandable. Saraí Morales recommended she talk with Pedro in private because the important thing was to find a place where both would be happy.
Days later, Pedro and Angela called the Realtor Luis Rivera. They decided to stay in Miami and buy a townhouse near their children.
As you can see, there are options, whether far, close, or in the city itself. The important thing is to discover what you really want, and for that, Mi Casa Team is here. Not just to help you buy or sell your house in Miami, but to assist, guide, and advise you on what you really need.
So now that you see there IS a place to move, where will it be? Reply here.
P.S. Please let me know what you thought of this email. This will help us know if we are doing it right and we will send you emails with increasingly better quality. Click here to reply.
Our stories are real, but names, addresses or images have been altered for the privacy of our clients.
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