Here are some TOP TIPS from Vacation Home Experts Dan Hechtkopf and Reid Heidenry from SBI REALTY in Miami.
1. View the home as a form of recreation, not an investment.
If you buy one, make sure, above all, that this is a house and an area you enjoy. It will be worth the cost if you spend as much time there as possible, put your heart and soul into caring for it or plan to keep the home in the family for future generations.
2. Approach joint property investments carefully.
These types of agreements can start wars even in the warmest families. Set down some rules about the percentages of ownership accorded each party and what rights those percentages confer.
3. Don’t buy outside the country.
In other countries, rules about title and ownership are not as clear as they are in the United States. In many countries, you run the risk of your property being ransacked or nationalized.
4. Research all four seasons before you buy.
It’s a good idea to visit the area in which you plan to buy during every season.
5. Make sure the house and location make a good rental.
If you’re really going to work to rent out the property, make sure it’s well suited for vacationers.
6. Work with an agent who knows the area.
The agent can also be a great resource for little-known information on hidden bonds and community events.
7. Don’t buy a timeshare.
Even in a good economy, it’s hard to sell a timeshare.
8. Buy an existing home instead of land.
To build a house from the ground up, you may have to deal with coastal authorities, local building restrictions, aggressive homeowners associations and sketchy contractors.
9. Factor in extra costs.
In additional to the loan, you’ll have to cover taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities. If you live more than an hour away, you might have to factor in the cost of a caretaker or property manager.
10. Buy only what you can afford.
You simply enter what you make and what you owe, and the calculator will tell you how much more the banks will lend you.
DAN HECHTKOPF AND REID HEIDENRY
GREATER MIAMI LUXURY REAL ESTATE SPECIALISTS
February 3, 2014 – Miami Beach, Florida – Dan Hechtkopf and Reid Heidenry, two of the top luxury real estate specialists in the city of Miami, are currently available to answer any questions you may have about buying or selling homes, condos and commercial properties, as well as easily guiding you through the process. With two different offices in Miami Beach, buyers, sellers, and renters now get easy access to the specialists (at South Beach Investment Realty) no matter where they are located in Miami.
Born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA, Dan Hechtkopf earned a lacrosse scholarship to the University of Delaware, where he also served as captain, and earned his degree in Business with a focus in Leadership and Consumer Economics. Shortly after graduating in 2006, Hechtkopf moved to Miami and started working for a national brokerage – where soon after, he was one of their top earning realtors. Although Dan is relatively new to SBI Realty, he is quickly becoming one of their top agents in a short time period of only 10 months. Hechtkopf serves as luxury real estate specialist on Miami Beach and its surrounding areas – from Coconut Grove to Sunny Isles.
His partner, Reid Heidenry, grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, was Jesuit educated at St. Louis University High school and then went to the University of Miami on a Track and Field scholarship in 2002. After graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in Business Management in 2006, Reid joined SBI Realty where he has been selling real estate and acquiring properties for 7 years. Reid specializes in The Miami Beaches, Downtown, Brickell, Wynwood and Midtown. Reid has expertise in permit expediting and renovation work as well. He has been a top producer for SBI Realty each of the last 5 years.
“As luxury real estate specialists, we pride ourselves on integrity, loyalty, trust and honor,” says Hechtkopf. “We make sure that we let it show genuinely while working with and for clients.”
At SBI, both Heidenry and Hechtkopf specialize in selling Miami Beach real estate, including condos, waterfront homes, condo-hotels, luxury properties and other real estate investments throughout Dade County. In addition, the company offers new development and condo-conversion sales representation including aggressive marketing techniques. The staff, which consist of 125 Real Estate professionals, is fluent in English,Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, Estonian, Flemish, Hungarian and Dutch.
“Real estate transactions are some of the most important decisions people make in their lifetime,” says Reid Heidenry. “I take a great deal of pride knowing that my customers always come back to me. That only happens when I make sure we do it right the first time and I guide them to make the best decision possible. I treat every deal as if I am the party that I am representing.”
Hechtkopf and Heidenry chose SBI Realty because they appreciated the boutique style owner Diane Lieberman had created and the freedom with which she gave them to operate. On top of perfecting selling ability, they both strive to stay atop of any trends or developments in this ever-evolving real-estate market.
Offices include:
Meridian Office
1680 Meridian Avenue #102,
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Ritz Carlton Office
1653 Collins Avenue,
Miami Beach, FL 33139
