Phil Aitken
Phil Aitken
Owner/Broker

Blog

5 Tips for Social Media

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We are living in the social media era.  Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat (to name a few) now rule the way the world communicates and the avenue by which house hunters prefer to shop.  The gratification is instant, making the hunt shorter as the process of “weeding out” unwanted properties is vastly […]

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Time to Refinance?

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As home loan rates have decreased since 2018, significant savings abound for anyone who has purchased a home in the past two years and is contemplating refinancing.  For example, those who hold a $250K mortgage could save roughly $2,200 annually as rates are currently down by 1.25%, the lowest since 2016.  Unfortunately, this is not […]

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5 Surprise Expenses for New Homeowners

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America: land of the free, home of the brave, mecca of optimism and credit card debt beyond comprehension.  Yet, eighty-five percent of American millennials hold to every expectation that they will secure the American Dream via homeownership, yet they don’t actually have a plan for execution and are often subject to fall under the heading […]

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7 Ways to Avoid HOA Fees

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HOA’s (Home Owners’ Association) are often viewed as the “bad guys” of homeownership.  In fact, many homeowners don’t recognize the need to submit to HOA rules and regulations because they do, after all, own the property and believe they should be free to live accordingly.   It is true that some HOA’s can be overly […]

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6 Reasons Multifamily Properties Are Picking Up Speed

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1.  The 1031 There are a TON of 1031 tax-deferred exchanges occurring at the present time resulting in gargantuan profits for multifamily syndicator/investors post-recession.  We might be in for some serious record-breaking taxation, so hold on!  This exchange permits sellers to trade assets for assets while avoiding capital gains taxation until the time at which […]

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2 Steps Closer to Home Ownership

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Buying a home is a daunting prospect for anyone, experienced or otherwise. However, it is especially discouraging to begin a home search with a less than stellar budget. You might be surprised to learn that there are dozens of ways to move forward in the search for your home with very little money in your […]

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7 Perks of VA Loans

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1. No Down Payment The biggest reason buyers don’t move forward with a home purchase is because they haven’t saved enough for a down payment.  Here is the good news: VA loans do not require buyers to come up with a down payment as they allow for 100% financing.  Any cash that you have in […]

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3 Spooky Recommendations for Jacksonville Adventurers

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It’s Halloween again and The Aitken Home Team wants you to enjoy the Fall season happily and safely!  Here are three of the best Jacksonville spooky adventures for thrill seekers looking to have a good time: 1.  Adventure Landing  Jacksonville Beach is the place to be if you are looking forward to an adventurous evening […]

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FHA Introduces New Guidelines

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The FHA has been hard at work and two new guidelines were recently established in order to expedite condo projects approvals and reduce risk for the FHA revolving around low credit scores.   What does this mean for you? Actually, this could be good news for investors and buyers alike. Part of the reasoning behind implementing […]

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8 Tips to Sell Like a Boss

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It’s a new year and it might be time for a new house!  There’s just one problem: you need to sell your current home first!  The Aitken Home Team presents eight tips for selling your home just faster than it was listed on the market: 1. – Keep it Clean Always keep your home neat […]

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