Roger Pettingell is Coldwell Banker’s leading Florida real estate agent, and he has spent decades helping luxury home buyers find the perfect place to call home. He offers insight that can help any luxury home buyer find the best possible property at the best possible price.
A buyer must know exactly what they want, Pettingell explains. He advises buyers to carefully consider how much space and what type of space the home should have, what the view should look like, how much yard/garden space the house should have, etc. Once a person has a comprehensive list, Pettingell explains, they should prioritize the list and only view homes that meet the top criteria. An outdoor kitchen may be highly desirable features, for instance, but an open floor plan and great view may be even more highly desired. In some instances, an undesirable aspect of the home, such as flooring or paint color, can be changed; conversely, other aspects of the house, such as yard size and home floor plan, aren’t changeable.
Roger Pettingell also urges aspiring homeowners to share their detailed list with their real estate agents because, as he is the first to admit, it’s sometimes challenging for even the best agents to identify the best possible homes for a client without extensive client input. Working with a knowledgeable agent can give a buyer access to homes that may not be publicly listed. Furthermore, an agent can often recommend a good lender, contractors for home renovations, and other professionals a buyer may need to work with before and after the sale.
Roger Pettingell advises homebuyers to inspect the home in person and at length and research the home’s history and any planned neighborhood changes. An area that seems ideal at present may become less than ideal due to future developments that could ruin the neighborhood’s ambiance and lower the home’s value. A home that appears to be structurally sound may not be as sturdy as it appears, especially if the construction company has a reputation for shoddy work and there are sinkholes in the vicinity. It’s also wise to make sure the windows meet current hurricane standards.
Roger Pettingell attributes his professional success to his ability to offer boutique, personalized services to each buyer. At the same time, he notes there are some things he can only do with buyer assistance. He points out that what constitutes a “luxury home” in one buyer’s mind may not be the ideal home for another, so buyers must know exactly what they want and communicate this information to their realtor. He also strongly encourages buyers to do their due diligence before making an offer on a property to ensure it’s structurally sound, safe, and in a neighborhood that will meet their current and future needs. He says that with careful planning and research, luxury home buyers in the Florida area should have no trouble finding the home of their dreams.
