Hemos enfatizado muchas veces la necesidad de encontrar un Realtor en la Florida en quien confiar para guiarlo por todo el proceso de compra. Una de las primeras preguntas que con frecuencia nos hacen es: ¿cuál es la diferencia entre un Realtor, un Agente Inmobiliario y un Bróker o Intermediario Inmobiliario?

Estamos conscientes que muchos países en el mundo no tienen necesariamente estas distinciones, por lo tanto nosotros proveemos una guía a nuestros clientes para ayudarlos a escoger el tipo de profesional que necesitan para que los represente. También pueden leer información más a fondo sobre el tema en nuestro libro Su Guía de Inversión Inmobiliaria de la Florida para los Compradores Globales.

1) Realtor

Este término es una marca registrada de la Asociación Nacional de Agentes Inmobiliarios (National Association of Realtors) (NAR). Esto significa que solamente se permite denominar como Realtors a los agentes inmobiliarios registrados con la NAR. Y solamente los Realtors tienen acceso al SLM, han firmado el código de ética de la asociación y participan en el entrenamiento regular y la educación continua.

La mayoría de los agentes inmobiliarios en la Florida forman parte de la Asociación Nacional de Agentes Inmobiliarios. Si usted encuentra un agente que es de su agrado y no está afiliado a la NAR, le aconsejaríamos que les pregunten por qué no. Los que se denominan Realtors, tendrán acceso a una abundancia de información, de redes de apoyo y de listados que los que eligen no afiliarse no pueden acceder.

Para hacerse miembro de la NAR, se requiere ser miembro de la junta o asociación de bienes raíces de su localidad. Los nuevos miembros de la NAR deben tomar el curso del código de ética profesional en línea y aprobar el examen. Los miembros activos están requeridos a completar un curso de ética en línea cada cuatro años y atenerse estrictamente a los estándares de la práctica.

El código de ética es revisado anualmente para reflejar los sucesos más recientes de la ley y de la práctica inmobiliaria y su mensaje fundamental es de «tratar a todos los interesados honestamente». Pensamos que usted estará de acuerdo lo que este entrenamiento adicional y este código de ética hacen y siempre les aconsejaríamos a escoger un Realtor sobre un agente inmobiliario por esta razón.

2)AGENTE INMOBILIARIO

Este es un profesional que ha aprobado su examen en el campo de bienes raíces y posee una licencia como agente inmobiliario. Su labor se describe como la de asistir y de aconsejar a compradores y a vendedores en la comercialización y la compra de propiedades. Si solamente posee una licencia de agente inmobiliario y no es designado como Realtor, esta persona no tiene acceso al SLM y por lo tanto no tiene más acceso que usted a la información disponible a través de la red de Internet. Puesto que el SLM es la fuente más definitiva y más comprensiva de datos inmobiliarios, esto sería una gran desventaja en nuestra opinión.

Ni los Agentes Inmobiliarios ni los Realtors pueden aceptar remuneración de un negocio inmobiliario, es decir, manejar transacciones en efectivo, para esto necesitaría ser un bróker licenciado. Los Agentes Inmobiliarios facilitan las negociaciones en nombre del bróker. Por lo tanto, los agentes solamente pueden vender propiedades si trabajan para un bróker inmobiliario, o para una firma inmobiliaria.

Los agentes no pueden publicar la información de venta de las propiedades, solamente pueden ayudar y aconsejar en la compra y la comercialización de las mismas. El trabajo de un agente incluye ayudar a organizar inspecciones, estructurar contratos y realizar negociaciones por sus intereses, así que el agente necesita tener experiencia y conocimiento en todas estas áreas.

3) EL BRÓKER O INTERMEDIARIO INMOBILIARIO

Un bróker o intermediario inmobiliario es un profesional licenciado que está calificado para manejar todos los elementos discutidos anteriormente, así como la parte financiera de las transacciones inmobiliarias. El bróker es un agente inmobiliario (es decir, también ayuda en la venta y comercialización) que ha tenido más educación formal y un nivel de licenciatura más elevado. Los Agentes Inmobiliarios y los Realtors deben trabajar bajo la sombra de un bróker inmobiliario, y ese bróker tiene la responsabilidad legal por cualquier acción de parte del agente.

Cualquier error o ilegalidad por parte del agente son la responsabilidad legal del bróker. Los brókeres usualmente ganan considerablemente mucho más dinero que los agentes y con frecuencia son sus propios jefes, con los agentes trabajando bajo la sombra de su firma. Pero también tienen muchos más deberes y responsabilidades legales. Nuevamente, es importante articular aquí que mientras todos los brókeres deben tener su licencia de agente de bienes raíces, pueden no ser necesariamente Realtors. Si usted elige trabajar con un bróker asegúrese de que también sea un Realtor.

¿Cuánto Dinero Necesito Para Invertir en una Propiedad en la Florida?Por supuesto que esa es la pregunta de los 64 millones de dólares, y la que más nos preguntan en nuestros viajes. Lo que usted finalmente decida invertir se reduce a tres cosas: la cantidad de capital que tenga disponible para invertir, la ganancia que necesita lograr y el estilo de vida que está buscando.

El concepto errado más común que se tiene es que comprar una propiedad de inversión en la Florida es un privilegio para los más adinerados. Nada podría ser más lejos de la verdad, ya que hay diferentes categorías de inversión para empezar que son increíblemente accesibles. Y al comprar una propiedad en la Florida, a usted se le asegura un título, un capital seguro en dólares y un proceso de compra transparente y seguro.

En nuestra firma Investments in Florida, encontramos pertinente separar nuestros inversionistas potenciales de acuerdo con los resultados ideales de cada uno. Primero, hay lo que nosotros llamamos inversionistas de estilo de vida. Estos están buscando un estilo de vida ideal, y una casa de vacaciones que produzca una inversión que crecerá a largo plazo, una entrada por alquiler para pagar los gastos y que pague el costo de las vacaciones a corto plazo.

El segundo grupo lo llamaremos inversionistas directos. Están buscando una inversión que les ofrezca la máxima ganancia. No van a usar la propiedad ellos mismos, sino que les interesa que la propiedad esté en buenas condiciones para arrendarla a un buen precio. Estos inversionistas están interesados en obtener tanto una apreciación como un flujo de caja, y en tener su dinero en activos en los Estados Unidos.

ENTONCES, ¿CUÁNTO NECESITO PARA ENTRAR EN EL MERCADO?

El inversionista directo puede encontrar una propiedad que le sirva para sus necesidades a un precio de entrada de $100.000. Esto puede ser una casa de familia, o un apartamento/condominio – y lo más seguro es que va a arrendarla durante todo el año para lograr un rendimiento de flujo de caja constante.

Si usted está mirando a este precio como manera de entrar al mercado de propiedades, encontrará que va a estar mirando en áreas que están retiradas de los focos turísticos y usualmente lejos del frente del mar. Ciudades pequeñas menos conocidas tienden a ofrecer este tipo de ofertas.

El inversionista de estilo de vida tendrá muchos más factores que tener en cuenta cuando haga su plan para invertir en una propiedad en la Florida y es muy seguro que su ganancia al invertir no va a ser el factor principal motivando su decisión sino solamente un componente de ella.

Es justo decir que las casas de vacaciones son realmente del calibre para obtener una entrada de dinero por el alquiler a corto plazo, generalmente empiezan alrededor de los $200.000 en las áreas más económicas. En áreas más solicitadas como Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale y Miami estamos mirando a una cantidad más cerca a los $500.000 para una casa de vacaciones de tres habitaciones con potencial para arrendamiento.

Si usted no sabe que área escoger o en que área invertir, por favor llene el formulario para encontrar una ubicación y uno de nuestros agentes puede ayudarlo a seleccionar áreas que corresponden a sus gustos, sin ninguna obligación. Nuestros Realtors son los mejores en este negocio y estarán contentos de guiarlos en cuanto al precio, la ubicación y el tipo de inversión para asegurar que usted obtenga la propiedad con la que sueña.

No, as a buyer, it costs you absolutely nothing to use a Realtor. In Florida, real estate sales commissions are paid out of the seller’s proceeds.

Effectively, that means that buyers don’t incur any cost to have a Realtor working for them. We can’t emphasize this concept enough, as the value of working with a Realtor to purchase a property and advocate for you is well established in our Florida Real Estate book. We also highly recommend using a Realtor who is exclusively working for you as a Buyer’s Agent.

How Does it Work? Who is in Charge of A Property Listing?

The listing’s data is owned by the real estate broker who has secured the listing agreement with the property owner. Each MLS system (and there are many) enables reciprocal agreements between brokers to be set up, and as much information to be shared about each other’s properties as possible, enabling agents and brokers to make commissions on one another’s listings

How Much is A Realtor’s Commission and How is it Paid?

In the Listing Agreement between the Seller and the Listing Broker, one of the provisions specifies the total percentage of commissions to be paid based on the sale price of the property, as well as the commission split between the Listing Broker and Buyer’s Broker. In our experience, this percentage ranges from 5-7%. The majority of the time the Listing Broker splits the commission 50/50 with the Selling Broker. The Listing Broker, by participating in the MLS system, agrees to pay a percentage of the selling broker’s commission.

So it costs you nothing to use a Realtor for your purchase. However, here are some ways it may cost you NOT to use a Realtor … these are all examples of knowledge an experienced Realtor may bring to the table:

He or She May Know:

• If a property is poorly built, or is much older than it appears or is being listed as.
• Has had problems in the past
• Was purchased at too high a price
• When the home was last on the market
• They may have been inside properties you are comparing in the past
• They may have knowledge of local homes about to come on the market
• They may know areas that have issues such as poor drainage, high water levels, poor soil, or ground pollution, or unsavory neighbors.
• They may have an intimate knowledge of the town’s zoning laws and restrictions or planning that has been passed and will affect the home you’re looking at.
• They may have knowledge of the particular departments of the City administration, how easy or hard it is to get planning and change restrictions.
• They may know if a developer is in trouble financially.

If you’d like to a very experienced Realtor sign up for a 20 minute highly informative Sarasota Real Estate Orientation with Lee.

In our opinion, Florida offers quite simply one of the best lifestyle propositions in the world today. The obvious draws such as sun, golf, and the Gulf beaches, continue to pull in the visitors year after year, but we believe the little-known natural splendor of Florida’s waterways also contribute hugely to the wonderful lifestyle here.

Some of the Most Diverse Ecosystems in America

Florida boasts incredible natural flora, fauna, and habitats – something which often gets overlooked in favor of the state’s man-made attractions. In fact, the everglades – spanning 1,500,000 acres – is a world heritage site, an international biosphere reserve, and a wetland of international importance, and draws a million visitors a year to its beautiful mangrove forests and stunning waterways.

Among its 350 species of birds, 300 fish species, 40 species of mammals, and 50 of reptiles are many protected and endangered species. It is also the only habitat in the world where alligators and crocodiles co-exist. The Everglades can be explored by canoe, kayak, and boat, and are a truly magical other-worldly experience.

700 Natural Springs!

Further north in central and northern Florida, another spectacular natural wonder greets visitors – over 700 natural springs create magical havens for exploration and communing with nature. Wakula, Manatee, and Silver Springs are some of the most famous. Authentic Florida writer Robin Draper describes a recent trip to the Ichetucknee River, just northwest of Gainesville, on her excellent blog. She says:

“The gentle flow of aqua translucent water caresses you into a state of complete relaxation on a three-hour “chillaxing” drift downstream … a river is a place of natural beauty and abundant wildlife. On a recent morning drift down the river, shaded by overhanging trees and green luscious foliage, I spotted egrets, wood storks, ducks, limpkins, ibis, and scads of turtles sunning on partially submerged logs. I passed through an area of marsh river grasses dotted with blooming white lilies were beneath me otters swam and played. Nearby, on the riverbank, under a canopy of oaks, I spotted a grazing white-tailed deer. The water, the abundant wildlife, moss-draped trees against the bright blue sky – all came together so perfectly that I knew this would make this one of my favorites.”

Lakes Galore

In addition to the springs and everglades, Florida boasts some stunning lakes among the 30,000 lakes which scatter almost 3 million acres of its landscape. Lake living offers an alternative water-centric lifestyle based around the many sports, nature, and recreation activities the lakes and their landscape provides. If birding, kayaking, fishing, boating, and swimming are activities you’d like to factor into your Florida lifestyle, along with the special peace that comes from enjoying time on the water you may want to choose an inland lake-side location for your Florida property.

You’ll no doubt benefit from lower prices away from the coastal hot spots, and lower property insurance than coastal properties. And you’ll still be enjoying the incredible water-based elements of Florida living.

If you’d like to learn more about the natural splendor we have here in Sarasota sign up for a 20 minute highly informative Sarasota Real Estate Orientation with Lee.

Choosing an Area of Florida

Most people who choose to purchase a home in Florida, have a previous relationship or experience of the place they wish to buy-in. Or they have a close friend or relative who has that experience and is able to advise them on the area’s outstanding features. For other people who are looking for a straight investment property, which they won’t use as a holiday home throughout the year, and won’t rent the property to vacationers the location is less important and the ROI alone drives the property selection.

For each person, the factors driving the purchase are different, and these factors will ultimately determine the location of the property. Our agents are experts in helping buyers navigate the tricky questions of price vs. location and investment vs. lifestyle.

At our brokerage Investments In Sarasota, we believe firmly that if you are buying a holiday home, you should make your choice primarily based on lifestyle, and you should buy the best location you can afford that provides your desired lifestyle.

Here’s a Brief Summary of the Areas of Florida and How they Differ:

Northwest Florida:

Prices tend to be lower in the north, which is further from the huge tourist areas and attractions. This may not be the best investment for a rental return, but as a holiday home and lifestyle choice it is still a splendid place to buy, and a winner for those seeking a quieter, gentler pace of life.

Southeast Florida:

As another sweeping generalization, the southeast Atlantic coast — encompassing Miami, Ft Lauderdale, and Palm Beach up to Orlando —- tends to be generally pricier than the south-western Gulf coast. This stretch includes some of the priciest residences in America, with multi-million dollar homes pushing up the median house prices.

However, if you choose your area wisely, away from the ultra-rich enclaves of Palm Beach, it’s still possible to get a three-bedroom, single-family home with a pool for around the $250,000 mark. In the south Florida market returns are less, ranging from 6–10 percent, but appreciation and prices are much greater. However, it depends on the investor’s appetite for risk and investment goals.

The Miami property market is really a law unto itself. Typical apartment prices begin around $300,000, which isn’t necessarily expensive to be in one of the most happening metropolises in the world and with all that the city has to offer.

In fact, Miami is perhaps the one location that has bounced back the fastest, with an influx of buyers from Latin America. Inventory is now fairly low, which means prices are only going one way. However, it’s still possible to get deals on condos, as this market experienced a construction boom and so has the most inventory available.

Northeast and Central Florida:

The big attractions of Disney, Universal, and Sea World are concentrated around the center of the state, and we think the massive tourism potential of these areas does keep prices high—but also offers a huge potential for returns from tourism rentals, so values are probably fair.

According to Shalimar Santiago, CEO of Investors Advisers Network, central Florida is currently the hottest market, from Orlando to the Tampa region, with returns yielding on average 8–12 percent.

Southwest Florida:

Prices are somewhat lower than in the southeast. Strong rental potential in the summer comes from Europeans and Americans in school summer holidays. In terms of lifestyle, this coastline is fabulous and boasts some of the best beaches in the country. This has helped to skyrocket the waterfront property prices, which can be more than double the price of comparable properties in the Orlando area. This helps explain why 60 percent of the wealthiest people in the country winter either on this southwestern Gulf coast in Naples or at Palm Beach on the southeast Atlantic coast.

If you’d like to learn more about buying property specifically in Sarasota sign up for a 20 minute highly informative Sarasota Real Estate Orientation with Lee.

If you’re considering buying a property in Sarasota, one of the first questions you may have is whether or not, as a resident of another country, you need a visa to buy real estate. The short answer is no. You don’t need any special visa or paperwork to buy a house in Sarasota, as our in depth article “Do I Need a Visa to Buy Property in the US?” explains.

You May Need a Visa to Visit Your Property in Florida

However, when you use your Sarasota home, if you are intending to stay for more than three months on your visit, work while you’re here, or visit for multiple extended periods, it may be necessary for you to get the correct visa to do so. We explain all about the different types of visas you may be eligible for in “Do I Need a Visa to Buy Property in the US?”. However, we want to stress that the process of obtaining the correct visa is usually simple and straight forward. As always, we advise talking to an immigration lawyer who has the expertise and can guide you on which will be suitable for you.

Visiting for Under 90 Days? You May Be Eligible for the Hassle-free Visa Waiver

The Visa Waiver Program allows visitors from thirty-eight countries to visit the U.S. for a period of 90 days or less without a visa, as long as they meet all the criteria specified. If you buy a Florida home and want to use it for vacations, you may be entitled to do so under the Visa Waiver Program.

It’s important to note that if you are intending to visit your home in Sarasota several times for periods of a month or more that you may be better getting a visa which is also quick and easy to do. The US customs and border protection website is a little vague about the amount of time they expect to see between visits when using the visa waiver system. So it’s best to err on the side of caution:

When traveling to the U.S. with the approved ESTA, you may only stay for up to 90 days at a time — and there should be a reasonable amount of time between visits so that the CBP Officer does not think you are trying to live here. There is no set requirement for how long you must wait between visits – US Customs and Border Protection

Electronic Visa Waivers – Super Quick and Valid for 2 Years

If you are eligible for a visa waiver you can now apply quickly and easily online, using the ESTA system. This quick and easy system provides you authorization to travel (often in seconds) and puts an electronic stamp in your passport to show airline staff and border control that you are pre-approved for travel to the US.

You only need apply once, and the authorization remains on your passport for 2 years or until the passport expires. It costs $4 to apply, and a further $10 if you are given authorization. You can apply online here and pay with your credit or debit card.

These programs are always subject to change so we recommend you always get the latest information at Travel.State.Gov

If you’d like to learn more about buying property in Sarasota, FL as a foreigner sign up for a free 20 minute highly informative Sarasota Real Estate Orientation with Lee.

You will need the assistance of many professionals on your journey to being a Sarasota homeowner, and in fact the list can be daunting. As a first step we want to stress that the most important professional you will hire is, without doubt, your Realtor.

Unlike in the UK, and many other countries in the world, when buying real estate in Sarasota you typically engage a buyer’s agent or Realtor who works exclusively for you. An experienced and skilled Realtor will manage the process of engaging the other professionals you need, and make your buying process as seamless as possible.

Under the US system your Realtor costs you nothing — as the buyer’s agent is paid by the seller. And if you choose the right Realtor, it can ensure your buying experience is stress-free and smooth. International clients have told us that having a licensed professional actively working for you to find a home and get the deal done, is a huge plus of buying US property.

How to Buy a Property in Florida?

Find A Great Realtor: The Most Important Professional You Will Hire

But like all things in life, real estate agents vary, and there are different levels of competence and expertise. We want to stress that you should make sure your real estate agent is a licensed Realtor, as this shows they have taken extra certifications to ensure their expertise is up to date.

In addition, as an international buyer, you should only work with Realtors with the CIPS (certified international property specialist) certification. These professionals have the extra knowledge necessary to finesse the specifics of an international sales process and guide you on all aspects of how to buy a property in Florida.

Once you have your Realtor in place, he or she should have a network of trusted and experienced professionals they can pull in to assist you in all areas of your purchase. Over many years of working in real estate, we have interacted with hundreds of different real estate professionals, contractors and vendors.

Over this time we have developed the philosophy that we will only work with people that we know, like and trust. The correct Realtor, like us, will have great relationships with exemplary professionals, who have proven themselves to go above and beyond.

In this article, our goal is to provide you with a context for the role each of these professionals play, and some parameters to help you choose them on your own should you need to.

Other Professionals You Will Need and What They Do:

Home Inspector

The home inspector plays one of the most important roles during the Sarasota home purchase process. They analyze the property’s condition very comprehensively and often this reveals issues that wouldn’t be picked up on a walk-through. The home inspector’s work protects you as a buyer from any nasty surprises, and the subsequent report can help you re-negotiate a contract, or factor-in any work that needs doing, to the price you’re prepared to pay for the house.

Mortgage Broker

A mortgage broker is a liaison between borrowers and lenders. They have a relationship with a number of lenders and are expert at matching the needs of each client’s particular situation with the best lender. Mortgage brokers gather all the necessary documents, including credit reports, to complete your file for the lender.

If you provide all your paperwork in a timely manner, and are proactive in disclosing all the pertinent information, you will make sure that your mortgage broker can do the best possible job for you. Also, time is of the essence here, as when you submit all your paperwork your broker will do their best to lock in good interest rates.

Insurance Agent

In Florida when you work with an insurance agent — also known as an insurance broker — they work on our behalf to find the best coverage available for your circumstances. Don’t be tempted to go with the cheapest offer.

Make sure that your insurance agent is reputable and honest and that you are FULLY covered for all the potential eventualities at your specific property. You don’t want to find down the line, when you really need your insurance policy to be watertight, that you were under-insured or missing important details because the agent was trying to give you the cheapest possible policy.

Pest Inspector

The pest inspector will spend anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour (depending on the size of the home) examining the entire structure of the property, including any access points into the attic or under the house, where pests might be hiding. The report the pest inspector prepares is very important in identifying any current, or potential future problems.

This gives the buyer peace-of-mind but also can identify any costs which may be incurred in sorting out problems. For some international buyers, a pest inspection is a worrying concept, but it is very necessary in Florida’s tropical climate. Rest assured, dealing with pests is very routine here, and should not be a problem. But you do want to know up-front if any money will need to be spent.

Appraiser

The appraiser is an independent third party hired to give a fair and accurate value of the property. If you are working with a lender they will choose the appraiser. If you are paying cash and elect to have an appraisal, you will be able to choose one.

The appraisal is important as it can sometimes highlight an inconsistency in the price of the house according to the market, and it is good to have that information at your fingertips whether financing or buying your Sarasota home outright, so you are able to negotiate, or adjust your offer accordingly.

Escrow Agent

Escrow refers to money held by an independent third party on behalf of two parties who are completing a transaction. When you are purchasing a property and submit your deposit(s), these monies go into escrow. The escrow agent (person holding the escrow monies) can be either a real estate broker with whom your Realtor is licensed, a real estate law firm, or a title company.

Money held in escrow is not accessible by the buyer or seller during the transaction process, until the conditions of the contract are met or not. This is an important safeguard that protects everyone in the transaction.

Tax Accountant

We strongly advise all non-resident buyers to invest a few hundred dollars to meet with an accountant in Sarasota who has a breadth of experience working with international clients, in addition to a tax accountant in your own country.

It’s important to understand your unique tax situation and make sure you are compliant with all aspects of tax law. In many cases the tax to pay may be zero, but the costs of not filing or defaulting may be much higher. Florida has some great tax benefits for residents and property owners, and it is also important you make sure you are getting all the breaks you may be entitled to, and paying tax intelligently.

Closing Agent

The closing agent is the person or company who conducts your closing. The closing agent can be one of two things: either a title company or an attorney. There is typically not much difference in cost between using a title company or an attorney, and the costs for this person or company’s services are included in the title insurance fee. In fact around 70 percent of that fee (for properties under $1M) goes to the closing agent and is paid at closing.

In Conclusion, at risk of repeating ourselves!

A Realtor worth his or her salt will have a network of excellent relationships with all of the above professionals, and the experience to call in the right person for your specific needs. Once you have an excellent Realtor engaged as your buyer’s agent, you can trust that the professionals he or she recommends will handle everything with the expected level of transparency, professionalism, and efficiency.

Our book Your Guide to Florida Property Investment is an informative guide which provides all the knowledge you need to buy a home or investment property in Florida.

If you’re ready to find the perfect Realtor then please visit our Find a Realtor page to get connected with one of our expert team.

If you’re ready to find the perfect Realtor sign up for a 20 minute highly informative Sarasota Real Estate Orientation with Lee.