Buying or selling a home involves a lot of things, it also raises questions. In this column ‘Ask Bob’, real estate expert/broker Bob Bartikoski of RE/MAX Paradise Homes Bonaire answers a real estate question from a reader. This time:
Question: How can I buy a place on Bonaire when I’m not on the island and they sell so quickly? I used to see homes that stayed on the market for years, now everything I see in my price range (under $400,000) is sold by the time I come for vacation or I can’t get an appointment to see them when I’m on Bonaire.
This is a great question we are just coming in our prime selling season when many of our island visitors are looking for a home.
In this price range you are competing with many other buyers. Since we have a limited inventory of properties, this price range sells very quickly, often before it appears in a catalog or online.
Here are some tips to help you be successful when you are ready to buy:
1) Act quickly. People will view a home they like and go home to think about it or talk to their accountant and find it sold when they call back two weeks later. Talk to your financial advisor before your next trip, so that you know how much you can afford to spend and then you can make an offer while you are on the island.
2) Make buying a property the purpose of your trip. Don’t try to combine a family vacation, dive trip and buying trip in one week. Be available to see a property any day, at any time. I’ve had clients turn down a showing because they wanted to dive that morning, and then we were unable to get another appointment.
3) Keep in contact with your real estate agent. When a new property comes on the market, I immediately contact my clients who are in that price range. I also ask clients to let me know two weeks in advance of their arrival on the island, so I can block time to work with them, and make appointments to see hard to show properties.
4) Research the property on line. Most of our listings include virtual tours of the property, drone shots and professional photography. If you are prepared ahead of time you can make the most of your showings and use your “shopping time” effectively.
Do you want to buy or sell a house in Bonaire, or do have a real estate question for Bob? email him at: [email protected]. Call for free from the US: 1-866-611-7362 or Bonaire: +599-717-7362. See all our listings here.