This House Stinks

There’s really nothing less inviting than going into a home and finding a really gross aroma.  Last week I took a youngish couple through several homes that were bank-owned, and with all due respect to the cat owners out there, they smelled of cat urine—which as you probably know is about 100% ammonia.  The smell was so strong it actually hurt your sinuses. I’d like to say Fabrize to the rescue, but I don’t know if even that would make much of a difference.

Back in the old days people didn’t keep cats in the house—for exactly that reason.  Cats lived in the barn and had a job.  They kept the population of mice and rats to a minimum.  They were fuzzy and didn’t need much food, and frankly they found a place to make their smells that was acceptable to all, so long as there weren’t any rodents around.

About the mid part of the last century, kitty litter replaced sand as the potty of choice for cats and cat lovers. And with that invention, having a “house cat” became much more acceptable, as the “litter” curtailed the aroma, and so the population of cats skyrocketed.  Thus giving the American family a second choice in the home pet department.  Fido began to lose his standing as Fluffy grew in popularity.

But in a slow real estate market, when money is scarce, kitty litter can be one more expense that just can’t be met. And after a family or tenant moves away and takes their possessions with them, sometimes the cat stays on in the old house—and that’s a real issue.  Recently a study was done on aromas, and it seems that some aromas can have a direct impact on people's tendencies to spend. Of 402 people browsing in a home-decor store in Switzerland over a nearly 20-day period, when an aroma consisting simply of orange filled the store, shoppers spent 31.8 percent more. But add scents like green tea, basil, and complex blends of orange and the shopping spree decreased.  (Obviously they didn’t try the cat stink, but the results are interesting.)

The study makes the argument that fragrances may affect cognitive functions in the same areas of the brain that are responsible for decision-making.  And that while complex scents may be pleasant, they can still be a distraction. It seems they have an effect on some people that causes them to subconsciously spend time trying to identify the aroma.

Smells that are subtle go, more or less, unnoticed. So people don't actually concentrate on what they smell. They don't ask their significant other, "Can you smell that?" Whether it's in a store or a home for sale, some aromas are distracting—just as other influences can interrupt a train of thought.

This principle applies to many things in and around a home that's listed for sale. For instance, if you have lots of personal pictures displayed, it's likely they will distract potential buyers. They'll get a little curious and start exploring your photos and commenting on them to the agent or whoever they are with while viewing your home.

Yet another no-no is to have many medications out cluttering the bathroom--or even in your prescription cabinet. Like the home's aroma and the photos on your counter, this can be a distraction. When buyers pass through a home, they open closets, cabinets, and sometimes-even drawers. It's what they're supposed to do. They're thinking of putting their own "stuff" where your stuff currently is. So they need to check out all the spaces available. Any distraction will interrupt their decision making regarding the home, so it’s a good idea not to have personal items out and around.

The best policy when preparing a home for sale, is to stage it as if you don't live in it. Give your home the “look” of a model home. Of course you can’t bring in all new furniture for the period of time the house will be for sale, but you can rid the rooms of personal items, make the whole house smell good, and clean the finger prints and smudges off the woodwork and the appliances. Tone down the scent--especially of pets. And find a way to clear the clutter, because it may mean a faster sale of your home and for more money.

Dane Hahn is a real estate professional serving Charlotte and Sarasota Counties in Florida. Call him at 941-681-0312, or email at dane.hahn@gmail.com.  See him on the web at www.danesellsflorida.com

Investing in A Home

Buying a home is usually the largest expenditure (or shall we call it an investment) any of us ever makes.  Spending that kind of money almost always comes with second thoughts, particularly if it’s your first home. And there are some hazards of home buying that are totally unavoidable. I always try to help buyers with their concerns. I would guess that the average agent holds the hand of a buyer maybe hundreds of times throughout their career.

You may have heard the term “Buyer’s Remorse”.  I like to tell both buyers and sellers that they may experience remorse once their “deal” is written and the offer is made and accepted.  And yes there is “Seller’s Remorse” too, but the truth is, both parties will probably spend that evening riddled with remorse: the buyers think the accepted offer means they could have gotten the place for less, and the sellers think it means they could have demanded more!

Even after showing the homes that I think will work best for my clients, they still sometimes are attracted by some glitter seen in a water front home or a golf course property, and later rue the day they closed on that particular home, maybe for years and years to come. I had a buyer once who saw a worn out waterfront home with a barn and paddock—after he saw it, he could not focus on anything else.  He had to have it, even though the home was not functional for his family. Apparently it represented all the things he had always wanted to show off. Unfortunately the purchase price plus the repairs caused him to over extend himself financially and he ended up in mortgage distress.

Clearly, the decision-as to what house makes the most sense for a family is the buyer’s.  But as an agent I can and do make suggestions—and sometimes even argue. Probably the most important suggestion I ever make is that the buyers hire a home inspector. House condition surprises are only avoidable if you have inspections. And while the inspector may find many things to report to the buyer, the idea is that sooner or later the homebuyer would find these things out for himself, so before he buys is a better time than after.

When I am trying to find the perfect home for a client, I have long used a visualization exercise. I like to ask them to close their eyes and tell me what the perfect house would be. And to tell me what their favorite rooms were in the homes or apartments they have lived in. Sometimes I try to get their minds’ eye on topics like how long will the family likely live in the new home.  Or what is important to them in terms of neighborhoods and schools? Do they want to walk to shopping. What sorts of things are appealing to the family, both inside and outside of the home, for work, school, play and their downtime. County water and sewer may or may not be available. How close are they to retirement? (These points seem personal, but so is a home, and more to the point, what home amenities they will need). Naturally I ask about the desired number of beds, baths, square feet desired in the next home. 

American clients don’t have a good feel for the size of a home expressed in square feet.  They are more from the school of, “I’ll know it when I see it.”  Whereas, Canadians and European buyers seem to know exactly how big a home they want and can quote you the exact number of square feet, “I want a home that is 1800 square feet,” they’ll say.

Some buyers fail or choose not to read disclosures, inspections, loan documents and such. These are the buyers who tend to end up really, really upset at a later stage of the deal. Some buyers are so unused to these sorts of transactions that the mere sight of all those papers and zeros makes their eyes glaze over. Other times, there are buyers who have done so many major transactions in their work or their lives that they’ve gotten casual, with the details.

I try to summarize the documents which I know are important and encourage them to ask questions. The prospect of trying to read and catch mistakes in a pile of docs at the closing table can be daunting.  When the closing is hanging in the balance and all the excitement and expectations of the family—and maybe the moving truck is parked just outside--is one of the most common reasons buyers cite for not reading and understanding their papers.

I’ve had buyers proudly arrive at the closing in a brand new car, and then be told (by phone) by their lender that since they bought a new car their credit no longer qualifies them for the mortgage. I always tell my buyers not to make any expenditures (no new furniture, no new cars or boats) until AFTER athe closing.

Some of my best buyers have early on disregarded my advice, only to lose a house to another buyer or a mortgage to a dumb financial move. But then, once they see that good advice and timing will help them, these are the folks who can turn out to be my best clients, especially when the market has proven me right!

Dane Hahn is a real estate professional serving Sarasota and Charlotte counties. You can reach him at 941-681-0312 or via email at dane.hahn@gmail.com. See him on the web at www.danesellsflorida.com.

It's a Seller's Market!

As I write this, I am surrounded with this week’s newspaper real estate sections. The headlines call out the fact that home sales are up, home prices are up, and home inventories are down.  Why just this morning I showed a home to some buyers who early in the week had found 5 homes they wanted to see, but by this morning, two of the five were under agreement and so not able to be seen. Property is moving again!

Buyers are discovering, to their dismay that homes they wanted to see or possibly buy have already been snatched up before they even get a chance to see or make an offer on the property.  Our area’s unprecedented low inventory levels are slowly driving up home prices and making sellers reluctant to cede little if any concessions to buyers.

There’s no better gauge of the onset of a seller’s market than the demise of concessions that were once considered essential to attract buyer interest just a few months ago.  But with inventories down and prices up, sellers are ending the costly incentives they have been forced to offer buyers during the six-year long buyers’ market. The market has steadily moved towards a seller’s market with buyers more willing to bear closing costs, in some cases paying for half or more of the closing costs. Tight inventories of homes for sale are making markets increasingly competitive.

Last year sales were so slow that 60 percent of all sellers offered an incentive of some kind to attract buyers. The most popular was a free home warranty policy, which costs about $500, according to NAR this was offered by 22 percent of sellers, but 17 percent upped the ante by paying a portion of buyers’ closing costs and 7 percent contributed to remodeling or repairs.

Concessions linger where inventories are still adequate and sales slow, but in tight markets the times when buyers can expect concessions are already over.  And where the supply is dwindling and sales are moving to a more balanced market, buyers can expect sellers to offer even fewer concessions and sales prices will be close to list price.

Not only are most concessions a thing of the past, but also some desperate buyers are even resorting to writing “love letters” to win over sellers in competitive situations. When buyers know they are in a competitive market and there will likely be multiple offers, it makes sense to write a letter introducing themselves to the seller and explaining why they liked (and wanted to buy) the home so much.  The idea here is to get the seller to choose the letter-writer’s offer from the multiple offers they have to sort through.
New regulations enacted last year by the Federal Housing Administration to limit its exposure to risk forced many sellers to cut back on the amount of assistance on buyers’ closing costs. Sellers are now limited to no more than six percent of the loan amount at 90 percent loan-to-value or lower, and then usually 3 percent for 90 to 100 percent loan-to-value.

Some sellers bump up the home sales price to pay for concessions. But when this happens, and the buyer is getting a mortgage, then he will need to borrow the increased amount, (and he will need the property to appraise for the higher amount). So it will make sense to focus on concessions that will actually increase the value of the home, because the buyer will have to meet increased debt-to-income ratio in order to close his loan.

Making concessions or simply lowering the price are both powerful incentives to attract a buyer.  As the market ebbs and flows, sometimes it’s a buyers market and sometimes a sellers market, but the recent limiting of concessions will make buying and selling a little simpler and more rational for all parties. From my standpoint it will make writing a contract a little simpler. As one observed asked, “In this market, why would anyone selling a home pay the buyer to buy it?”

Dane Hahn is a real estate professional.  You can reach him at 941-681-0312 or by email at dane.hahn@gmail.com. See him on the web at www.danesellsflorida.com

New York Real Estate Ownership Guide

This article is designed to be a roadmap for the first time homebuyer or seller. Throughout, I'll guide you through the many steps of purchasing or selling your property and explain to you in the process how to avoid the most common mistakes. You will also learn both the legal and psychological problems often encountered.

For most people, buying (or selling) a home is one of the biggest part of living the "American dream". It's also probably the biggest investments they will ever make. Not surprising then, that many find this experience to be very exciting but also worrisome at the same time. Achieving the final transaction and transfer of funds for the property (referred to as the "closing") can leave many home owners feeling exhausted, even depressed. The same can be said for buyers. However, if the process is done correctly, it can also be both interesting and exciting for everybody involved. The ultimate outcome depends on many factors: time, energy needed to devote to the transaction, thoughtfulness and patience. All these traits are included in the process, and all can have an impact on your bottom line.

That's why preparation is key in any successful transaction. The process, complicated by multiple transactions and waiting periods, can be quite confusing. Real estate transactions require expertise. Those wanting total control of the transaction with a do-it-yourself attitude can make many costly mistakes. So unless buyers and sellers have a solid background in Real Estate, they stand to lose thousands of dollars in any given transaction.

Saving on New York Real Estate Attorney Fees

Trying to save a few extra dollars on legal fees may sound like a nice idea, especially for those with large down payments. But this strategy may backfire. You may end up being penny-wise, but broke in the long run. There are many detailed procedures involved in the purchase process that the vast majority of consumers may overlook.

In one of the biggest purchases of your life, it's simply not the time to "bargain shop". Remember the key criteria: if you can't afford to see the big picture in the transaction you probably aren't ready to close the deal. The amount of legal fees charged should not be the deciding factor in hiring a particular New York Real Estate Lawyer. You retain a New York Real Estate Lawyer because you trust that they will represent your best interest in the transaction. The bottom line is that you want a New York Real Estate Lawyer you can trust, if trust becomes an issue you are well advised to seek another New York Real Estate Lawyer, no matter how low the fees are. For the most part, a New York Real Estate Lawyers aim to satisfy their clients and keep that satisfaction within the legal bounds of the law --all at the same time. The happier their clients, the busier the New York Real Estate Attorney will be with future clients. So it makes common sense as much as it makes dollars sense to retain a New York Real Estate Lawyer who aim is to achieve the client's goal in the real estate transaction.
Real Estate transactions involve use of standard legal language. It is quite understandable then, if a buyer or seller do not understand the terms used in the transaction. First-time homebuyers have the worst experience. That is the reason why it makes sense to hire a New York Real Estate Lawyer who can represent your interest and can help you avoid pitfalls and unnecessary problems.
If not detected prior to closing, once a problem occurs, it can take time and money to correct the situation. An attorney with experience in New York real estate law can help steer a buyer or seller away from costly mistakes.

What kind of home fits my needs?

When buying a home, you have to determine what property will fit your needs. Picking the right kind of property to purchase requires careful planning, organization, and sacrifice. Since most people don't have the time, real estate brokers can be extremely helpful in letting you understand the many issues you might encounter. The questions involved can be overwhelming. What matters need further inquiry? Which homes come with bad neighbors? There are many matters which you need to inquire about when you look at different properties that interests you. However, some issues are common to most real estate purchases. A simple tip is to determine what borough you like to live. If you plan on living in Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan or Long Island, you may want to deal with a broker in that borough.

Coop or Condos?

Cooperatives are the most popular property purchased in New York City. One reason for this is a trend away from expense-ridden properties where foreclosures are common. Another reason for coop popularity is convenience. Deals can be less expensive (about half the price of a condo) and may involve less paperwork in the closing. Less financial stress and fewer headaches might sound good, right? But what most buyers don't know is that when you buy a co-op, you're NOT buying the physical apartment. Actually, you're buying "shares" of a corporation that owns the building which contains the co-op on its land. Also keep in mind that, just like any other company, a co-op has officers such as a president, a vice-president and a treasurer. And just like any other company they're responsible for the well being of the coop. If the coop suffers a financial meltdown, you could lose your apartment investment altogether.

What happens if I do decide to buy a coop?

You receive a stock certificate and a proprietary lease.

The co-op requires that each coop owner pay a "maintenance fee". If you own a condo, you'll be paying a "common charge." Usually, the monthly fee paid by a shareholder is almost double the fee paid by condo owners.

Sometimes a co-op only "owns" the improvements, and some other company or organization owns the land. This form of co-op is not the normal situation, but it does exist. Your New York Real Estate Attorney should be able to assist you in determining if you are purchasing such a property.

Where does the maintenance fee go? How is the money spent?

When an "entity" (i.e. some organization or other company) holds a mortgage of the co-op, the coop corporation must pay a monthly mortgage payment to the bank. The "maintenance fee" charged to coop owners helps the corporation offset this cost. By charging each shareholder a charge per share the "maintenance fee" helps pay the city taxes on the property as a whole and pay for the expenses in maintaining the property (such as the superintendent or doorman) The "common charge" for a condo helps offset the expenses associated with the maintenance of the building. Elevators, painting, cleanliness and any landscaping all require funding not to mention the common areas of the residential unit.

It is important to note that the monthly fee is not fixed. Just like rent, it can be increased. In buying a condo, however, you are buying a portion of the physical building in which the apartment is located. You then own part of the building and will receive a deed to the property that shows that you are the legal owner. The common charges for condos usually tend to be stable. Most co-ops require that a seller receive approval by the board before attempting to sell. Likewise, the buyer must also be approved by the board to make sure that the buyer will be a "responsible" co-op owner. One exception to this situation is when the coop has a special status as being a "sponsor unit". That means that when the building was converted into a co-op, the co-op conversion plans allowed the sponsor of the building to reserve the right to sell unsold shares without board approval. If you are purchasing the co-op from the original sponsor, then most likely you will not need to get board approval. The same applies to subletting the unit. In most cases you'll need permission. In some cases, purchasing the unit from the original sponsor, may entitle you to the same rights and privileges as the sponsor.

Recently after the cost of fuel skyrocketed, many co-ops and condos monthly fees increased. So when buying a coop or condo make sure that you understand the financial future implications. Ask for the financial information before signing on the bottom line.

Should I buy a single or multi-family residence?

One of the most common dilemmas encountered when purchasing a home is whether to buy a "single-family home" or "muti-family home". Common sense dictates that a single-family home will cost you significantly less than a multi-family home, and will appreciate accordingly. What are the advantages? The peace that comes with it is enticing for some. Not having to deal with renting to strangers, and the headaches of hiring (or being) a landlord. However, on the other side of that argument, a multi-family home can be a financial plus: the rental income helps with the monthly mortgage payments and makes ownership less financially stressful.

How can a real estate agents help me?

Normally the first person you may have direct contact with in the purchase or sale of land or residence, is a real estate agent. Most people use them rather than do it themselves. The agent works for his or her supervisor, and they are called "brokers". The kind of relationship you have with the agent can have a major impact on how well you as a buyer or seller, understand the initial process, and transaction. Two important points: Agents can normally provide good advice and suggestions regarding your purchase or sale. Since they're well-educated in both the property markets and their field, they are can give you past performance for a particular property. However, although the agent may seem to work for you, unless expressly contracted for, they normally work for the seller!

What is a Binder? Why is it important?

A binder (otherwise known as an "offer to purchase") is the first document secured by a minimal money deposit. You will normally sign a binder at the moment that you decide to make the seller an offer to purchase. This tells the seller that you are serious about making the purchase. Once the Binder Agreement is executed, the real estate broker or agent will present it to the seller. If accepted, the property will no longer be shown to potential buyers. It is important to note that the binder, unlike a contract of sale, is subject to a time limit. Unless the binder details the money to be refunded, it will be forfeited under most circumstances.

What should I know about the "Contract of Sale"?

The contract of sale is the first formal stage of the buying and selling process. When you have retained a New York Real Estate Lawyer and have made an acceptable offer, at this point in time, you and the seller will sign a contract of sale. The seller's New York Real Estate Attorney will normally draft the contract and then the buyer's New York Real Estate Attorney will review the contract to make sure that you are protected from any future problems (both legal and residential issues).

It's also important to note that when the buyer signs the contract, a "Down Payment" is given to the seller for the seller's New York Real Estate Attorney to hold in a special account called an "Escrow". The seller's New York Real Estate Attorney is required by ethical rules to do so. However, not to worry: the entire amount will of course, be credited to the buyer and applied to the final outstanding balance at "closing."

The biggest mistake a buyer or seller can make is signing a contract of sale before getting adequate legal representation. A contract of sale is an agreement to purchase and sell the property. Once it's signed, it becomes a legal document. If you change your mind and want to change the terms of the agreement or if you want out of the transaction altogether, then you will find yourself in an extremely frustrating legal bind. That's why an experienced New York Real Estate Lawyer is necessary throughout the process, especially at the beginning stages. The contract of sale dictates exactly how the transaction will proceed. It says how payments will be made and collected, and contains all the important details. Tell your New York Real Estate Lawyer every detail which you think is important and essential to you intensions. For example, maybe you are selling another property while simultaneously buying a home. Since the sale of your property is a condition, that condition is a major detail that you should tell your New York Real Estate Lawyer since, the other "party" may have not accepted your offer had they known such a condition.

Another issue that sometimes comes up is the issue of occupancy. Generally a house is sold vacant. However, if you would like to keep the existing tenants, it is a good idea to tell your New York Real Estate Lawyer (assuming it's not a new construction), and that by itself can save you time and hassle in the process of renting the property later on.

As a seller, should I have my home inspected?

Home inspections can sometimes make or break the deal. A New York Real Estate Lawyer can secure a condition in the contract of sale which allows the buyer to refuse to purchase the property if the home inspector determines that the structure is not physically sound. Termite problems or signs of other wood-destroying insects are great reasons for a buyer to opt out of the contract. In such cases the seller usually return the buyer's down payment and everybody walks away from the table. Home inspections are relatively convenient, inexpensive and will save you a lot of time and money.

Finding a New York Real Estate Lawyer?

When looking for legal representation, most importantly, you want a New York Real Estate Attorney whom you feel comfortable with. If you don't feel comfortable with a particular New York Real Estate Attorney, chances are that you will not have a good working relationship.

An experienced New York Real Estate Lawyer, who you feel comfortable with, can be greatly beneficial in explaining and reducing the mystery out of buying or selling real estate in New York. Your New York Real Estate Lawyer can review and prepare the contract of sale, order title insurance, and conduct key parts of the transaction. Making sure the property you are purchasing has no undisclosed liens. If they do exist, your New York Real Estate Lawyer can take care that they will be satisfied prior to the closing.

The last thing you need is to have doubts and questions about your transaction. You want to make sure that after all the documents are signed and notarized, that you understand what just happened and that you are confident that everything was done correctly.

When should I close the deal?

The closing is the climax of the transaction. The buyer's New York Real Estate Attorney is normally the ringmaster who coordinates the time and place of the closing. The closing is where the parties meet to finalize the deal. Normally the parties you will see at the meeting are the seller and their New York Real Estate Attorney, the bank's New York Real Estate Attorney, and the title representative. What occurs at the closing table can be broken down to three major steps:

The bank makes the loan to the buyer and in return the buyer gives the bank an interest in the property (Mortgage)

The buyer turns that loan over to the seller and in turn receives a deed from the seller

The title company makes certain that the seller does indeed own the property they are transferring

Unless there are any serious outstanding issues, the closing can take about 2-3 hours. At this stage, the buyer should have obtained homeowners Insurance prior to the closing. Since not all insurance companies charge the same prices for the replacement value of a house you might want to shop around before the closing.

Lastly, a day or two prior to the closing, it's always a good idea to do a walk though of the property to make sure that it is in the same condition as when you decided to buy it.

Sellers, It's Your Front Door!

The real estate market is coming back—over the last week or so I have probably been in and out of 25 homes with several groups of buyers, and I must say, today’s sellers are neither very tidy nor all that conscious of the “first impression” that we all talk about. 

You don’t get a second chance to make a “first impression”. Some homes make a very poor first impression. These are homes with a very uninviting front door, or homes where you had to skirt the gas meter or sidle around garbage cans to get into the home. In one case a house where there was such a bewildering array of doors, you weren't sure which one to knock at.

Picture yourself as my customer, at the front door, while I am getting the door unlocked. My clients are noticing the door paint is peeling or the lockset hardware is rusty, or worse, it’s loose. The front entrance is seldom high on a seller's remodeling priority, yet, just like that old saw about first impressions, it's the home's entrance that people notice first. It's practically impossible to rectify a bad impression made at the front door.

Customers actually say, “I hope it’s nicer inside than this.”  Or, “looks like they didn’t take care of this one.”

Newer homes built by tract homebuilders usually have more money and energy spent on the front door than elsewhere in the home. Because builders who know their buyers care about first impression--even in the cheapest house--they rarely cut corners on the front door. They know that a strong impression of quality here subtly colors a visitor's perception of the whole house.

For hundreds of years colonists, architects and builders have spent time on their front entrances, which are a focal point of a home's design. In colonial New England, for example, the front door was often flanked by sidelights and topped by a pediment, setting it apart from an otherwise austere facade.

Certain design elements are hard to adjust, for example, a narrow lot does not lend itself to a garage opening to the side, so the “snorkel-house” (the one with the garage sticking out toward the street) has become popular in Florida, but really, the entrance should also be clearly apparent from the street. That doesn't mean it has to be glaringly exposed to view just that an unfamiliar passerby should easily deduce its location. Architects call this principle "demarcation."

There are lots of subtle ways to demarcate a front entrance. The most common is to surround the door with an architectural form such as a pediment or other type of trim. Another traditional strategy places the door in a recess, on a projection, or under a roofed porch. You can find a well-known example of the latter on the back of a $20 bill.

If you’re selling, here are some thoughts for your own grand entrance:

• Stand on you own entry porch area and look around with special emphasis on the door.  A quart or two of paint can correct a world of hurt from the front door. Don't be afraid to invest in a new door lockset hardware, there’s a lot to say about new shiny doorknob and key locks.

• Trim back any natural vegetation that might be overgrowing the entry. And if you must bring the path to the front door past utilities such as gas or electric meters, or past unsightly storage areas for trash or the like, consider a couple of sheets of plastic fence or lattice installed to hide the utilities. Keep these kinds of features out of the buyer's line of sight.

• If you have a covered entrance porch, be sure it’s clean and free of mud wasps, spider webs and any general mess.  A pressure wash will correct most of this, but even a garden hose and a broom will do the job.

• Lastly, if your house has several doors facing the street, make sure your front approach directs your visitors toward the main entrance. Do this with welcoming geranium flowerpots—or similar--or even a small welcome flag. Your front door may seem obvious to you, but, hey, you live there.

Dane Hahn is a real estate professional serving Charlotte and Sarasota Counties in Florida, he can be reached at dane.hahn@gmail.com or by phone at 941-681-0312. See him on the web at www.danesellsflorida.com