Claire Rodahaver's Blog Posts

How Homeowners Insurance Saved a Pending Transaction When Two Hurricanes Hit

September 4th was an exciting day for NextHome South Pointe agent Cherie Buell and her customer Anthony Bove. They had finally found the perfect home and were under contract. What they didn’t

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From Homeowners to Their Dream RV Life

Fred and Lynn had the adventurous dream to travel the country by RV. But, they wanted to sell their home first. Like many home sellers their main concern was how long it would sit on the market.

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Essential Summer Maintenance for Homeowners

Essential Summer Maintenance for HomeownersSummer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors, bask in the Florida sunshine, and tackle essential home maintenance tasks. Proper upkeep during this

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17 Things Your Agent Does For You When Under Contract

This blog post is a part of a series where we share Kent Rodahaver's "186 Things Your Real Estate Agent Does For You".Tracking the Loan ProcessConfirm verifications of deposit & Buyer’s

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186 Things Your Real Estate Agent Does For You

Listed here are 186 actions, research steps, procedures, processes, and review stages in a successful residential real estate transaction that are normally provided by a real estate expert in return

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Hurricane Preparedness: Essential Steps for Florida Residents

IntroductionLiving in the Sunshine State comes with its fair share of risks, particularly during hurricane season. With Florida's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, it is no

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Why Is My Home Not Selling?

There is one HUGE mistake you need to avoid when you sell your house this year: setting your price too high. It might seem like overpricing gives you room to negotiate or could boost your profit,

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Millennial Dream of Homeownership Became a Reality

Finding the Right AgentThere seems to be this common misconception that the millennial dream of homeownership is unattainable for most of our generation. As a millennial myself, I know this goal

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How to Prepare to Sell Your Home in Florida in 2025: A Step-by-Step Guide

Selling a home in Florida can be rewarding, but it requires careful planning, especially as the real estate market continues to evolve. With the forecasted changes in the housing market, economic

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Protect Yourself From Common Scams after a Hurricane

How Homeowners Can Protect Themselves After a StormHurricanes are devastating events that leave many homeowners struggling to pick up the pieces—literally and financially. Unfortunately, along

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Understanding the FEMA 50% Rule

Most everyone I speak with has heard of the FEMA 50% Rule, but few have a sound understanding of what it means.Over the past few days, I met with many neighbors regarding repairs, remediation, and

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A Journey Fueled by Compassion and Dedication

Meet Roxanne Berg! A NextHomie from our Cape Coral office. Roxanne started working at 14 as a Library Aid. Riding her bike across the field from her home to the library; reaching work in just five

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Fall Event Schedule for 2024: St. Pete, Gainesville, and Cape Coral Florida

If you didn't know we have three offices across Florida! One of the reasons we love all the cities we are located in is because of each unique community! There's always something to do, a place to

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The Issue: Housing Affordability and Supply

For the past several years, a growing number of voices have recommended that to address the housing affordability problem, we need to build more housing. Indeed, according to basic economics, when

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Home Equity Explained

Home equity is one of the most important concepts for homeowners to understand. It represents the value of your home that you truly own and can be a powerful financial tool. Let's dive into home

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#1 Mistake Sellers are Making in Today's Market

When homeowners are preparing to put their properties on the market, one aspect is usually foremost in their minds: money. Setting the asking price accurately can mean the difference between getting

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Cape Coral Hidden Gems

Cape Coral is an active community in Southwest Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. You'll find 400 miles of canals, 1,500 acres of parks, beautiful neighborhoods full of waterfront homes, and lots to do.

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Navigating the Home Selling Journey: A Three-Part Breakdown

Selling a home can be a complex and daunting process, in my book "Secrets Every Home Seller Needs To Know" I break it down into manageable steps that can make it much more approachable.In this blog,

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Detailed Timeline of the Homebuying Process

Homebuying TimelineBuying a home is an exciting and significant milestone in anyone’s life. However, the process can be complex and overwhelming, especially when purchasing a home. Closing is

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Spring Home Maintenance Tips

Whether you’re thinking about selling or not everyone knows spring is a great time to work on home maintenance. If you work on small things now whenever it comes time to sell you won’t

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Spring: The Perfect Season to Buy or Sell Your Home?

As spring approaches you may wonder if it's a good season for real estate. Every season has it's pros and cons, but the real estate market definately comes to life during the spring season. Whether

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3 Neighborhoods to Check Out in St. Petersburg Florida

St. Petersburg, Florida History One of the reasons I love St. Petersburg is the charm and community. There is a lot of history in this city and many neighborhoods to choose from when looking

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What do high interest rates mean for buyers?

When looking to purchase a home there are many things to consider, especially when it comes to financing. The average home buyer will not be purchasing a home with cash so interest rates become a

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Selling During the Holidays: Pros and Cons

Between holiday travel, holiday parties, and hosting out-of-town guests, the holidays can be a busy time of year. And if you’re selling your home, you might be tempted to take your property

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5 Ways to Prepare to Buy a House in 2025

Purchasing a home can feel like a very daunting process to begin, especially if you are a first-time homebuyer. Knowing what to prepare for and where to start can be helpful. There are things you

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Holiday Events for Gainesville

If you're new to Gainesville this holiday season, you're in luck. Gainesville has a lot going on this winter, check out the list below. Want to add your event to our list? Contact us.Songs of the

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Holiday Events in St. Pete

One of the reasons St. Petersburg is one of the best cities to live in in 2023 is because there is so much to do! In every season, and for every holiday you can always find something to do here in.

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The Real Reason Your Home Isn’t Showing

You’ve listed your home and you feel like it’s not being shown enough, or maybe it’s not being shown at all. You expected buyers to flock and have multiple offers to choose from.

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Fall Event Schedule for Gainesville

As the weather starts to cool off (kind of), you'll find many markets, festivals, and more. One of the best parts of living in Gainesville is the vibrant local community. You won't have to go far to

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Fall Event Schedule for St. Petersburg 2023

As the weather starts to cool off (kind of), you'll find many markets, festivals, concerts, and more. One of the best parts of living in St. Pete is the vibrant local community. you won't have to go

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Aging in Place: Safety Tips to Help Make It Possible

One-third of American homes today house residents over the age of 60, and 90 percent of those residents would prefer to stay in their homes as they age for as long as humanly possible, a study by

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Tips for Selling Your Home in the Fall

When it comes to selling a home, timing is everything. While spring and summer are traditionally seen as the peak seasons for real estate, fall offers a unique set of advantages and challenges. If

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Keep Your Home Show Ready

If you've ever sold a home or are thinking about selling your home, you'll always hear about staging and ensuring your home is "show-ready." These are very important, but unless you move out of your

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27 Things Your Agent Does During & After Closing

This blog post is a part of a series where we share Kent Rodahaver's "186 Things Your Real Estate Agent Does For You".Closing Preparations and DutiesContract is signed by all partiesCoordinate

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31 Ways an Agent Helps with Your Offer and Contract

This is the third part of Kent Rodahaver's "186 Things to Earn Your Business as a Real Estate Agent". The Offer and ContractReceive and review all Offers submitted by Buyers or Buyers’

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27 Things Your Agent Does to Market Your Listing

If you missed the first part of our 186 things your agent does for you, check that out here. This is the of 27 things your agent could do to market your listing as a seller. Create print and

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Summer Events

If you didn't know we have two offices! Our first office is located in St. Pete, Florida, and our second location is in Gainesville. Both cities have so much to offer, great food, stunning nature,

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Tips To Extend the Comfort of Your Home to Your Outdoor Space

Floridians love to enjoy and prioritize outdoor space.  If you're a new homeowner or want to spend more time in your outdoor spaces, there are some simple ways to transform your backyard,

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St. Petersburg Hidden Gems

5 St. Pete Hidden GemsIt’s not a secret that St. Petersburg, Florida is a unique and special place. From beaches to art museums, there are so many great places to visit. Whether you’re

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7 Signs You Need a New Real Estate Agent

Buying a home is the biggest investment you’ll likely ever make, and it has all sorts of implications for your personal and financial future. This is why it’s so important to work with

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3 Easy Ways to Spruce Up Your Entry Before Selling

So, you finally decided to sell. No matter your reason getting ready to sell can feel overwhelming. Should you renovate? Should you paint? Should you replace fixtures?It's hard to know what to focus

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How to Pick a Real Estate Agent: 7 Signs You Found the One

Did you know? Deciding between a good Realtor and a great Realtor may literally make the difference of $30,000, $50,000, or even more in your net proceeds for the exact same listing. It is

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Simple Tips for Selling Your Home in the Fall

Deciding to sell your home is a big deal. And that's just navigating the real estate market. We know you're also dealing with work, the kids, family, and everyday life.There are pros and cons to

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What is Xeriscaping?

What is xeriscaping?Xeriscaping is a style of landscaping that requires little to no irrigation, sometimes referred to as Water Wise landscaping. Typically consists of plants that are native or very

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6 Reasons Your Agent Wants You Pre-Approved Before Showing You Homes

Ever had an agent deny to show you a home because you weren’t pre-approved for a mortgage? It’s not because they’re mean, or they don’t value your business… it’s

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9 Ways Home Flipping Shows Mislead Viewers

9 Ways Home Flipping Shows Mislead ViewersWe all know the premise of home-flipping shows: An investor buys a veritable dump and then, with the help of a team of ready-and-willing contractors and

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Selling Your Home in Summer

Summer might be a great time for you to sell your home. People have more free time, which means more eyes on your listing. Here are a few ways you can use the summer season to your advantage when

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Best Beaches Near St. Petersburg Florida

St. Petersburg Florida is a unique city located on a peninsula just south of Tampa. Established in 1903 St. Petersburg has a rich history and continues to grow.  Even with all it's rapid growth

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5 Key Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A Fixer-Upper

Buying a fixer-upper can be an extremely gratifying experience. Typically, fixer-uppers are priced more competitively than their move-in ready counterparts—plus, you get the opportunity to put

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7 Pricing Myths You Need to Get Past If You Want to Sell Your Home

When homeowners are preparing to put their properties on the market, one aspect is usually foremost in their minds: money. Setting the asking price accurately can mean the difference between getting

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Selling Your Home? Here’s What Not to Display in Your Home Office

With more people working from home than ever, the home office has become a major selling point to many potential buyers—and if you want to attract those potential buyers, you need to frame

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Buying a Home with Your Partner? Ask These Questions First

When you’re in a committed relationship, you want to build a life with your partner. And for many couples, part of building a life together is buying a home.It takes more than love to

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10 First-Time Home Buyer Mistakes To Avoid

Homeownership is one of the central tenets of contemporary life. Most of us dream of a familiar, comfortable place to call our own, and buying a home is a rite of passage into adulthood, and into

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5 St. Pete Hidden Gems

 It’s not a secret that St. Petersburg, Florida is a unique and special place. From beaches to art museums there’s so many great places to visit. Whether you’re visiting St.

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