Phil Aitken
Phil Aitken
Owner/Broker

Blog

7 Ways to Avoid HOA Fees

August+homewardbound 2

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

August+homewardbound 2

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

August+homewardbound 2

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

August+homewardbound 2

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

August+homewardbound 2

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

August+homewardbound 2

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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Hope for Big-City Investors

August+homewardbound 2

You might be one of the thousands of investors living in a high-end real estate market witnessing the success of fellow investors all around you, but you are frustrated that the barrier to entry is preventing you from jumping on the investment bandwagon.  Investment opportunities are well beyond your financial means and you are growing […]

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6 Signs It’s Time to Sell

August+homewardbound 2

With all of the unusual changes in the market over the past several years, you might be wondering how long you should stay in your home.  While homeowners choose to sell for a myriad of various reasons, the average length of stay in a given residence is ten years.  Perhaps you feel financially and emotionally […]

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New Construction: 10 Reasons to Work with a Realtor

August+homewardbound 2

1.    Representation  The builder represents the builder, not you.  The builder’s contracts are filled with fine print, which could mean that you’ll be signing many of your rights away disguised as arbitration. Aitken Home Team realtors are licensed real estate agents and the builder’s representatives are usually not licensed agents. Builders know that nothing […]

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