Alaina's Top 5 Must-Haves in a Home

1. Wood Floors in the Main Living Area: These allow you the option of  style changes. Houses are living breathing creatures and without the option to totally change my style/mood on whim is pure tragedy. Wood floors throughout the home brings warmth and continuity to any design palette

2. Owner's en Suite Bathroom: After living in a 2/1 San Marco Bungalow with my husband and our two kids (now we have a gaggle of six), our own private bathroom is at the tip top of my priority list. Having our own space sans dinosaurs and barbies is essential to maintaining our sanity.

3. Backyard with a Privacy Fence: As previously mentioned, I have a family with four kids. If we can't let those anklebiters run off their energy with minimal supervision on the daily,  it makes for a VERY spirited evening in the Burt House. We could definitely do without the upkeep of the grass, however!! So fenced AND xeriscaped FTW! 

4. Porch: I love entertaining! Some of my favorite gatherings are getting everyone together and playing Heads Up or just chatting on our back porch for hours on end. Bonus if the porch has an outdoor fan that keeps your thighs from sticking to the chairs in the Florida heat. 

5. Home Office: People tend to think Realtors are always out on the road showing houses; they're not wrong, but a lot of the *magic* in Real Estate happens behind the scenes! That magic is curated in the home office preparing contracts, researching properties, organizing tour routes, and strategizing marketing blitzes. Having a little retreat tucked away from the noise is vital for the success of my growing business! 

How to Sell Your House During Covid-19

At Root, we want to help you sell your house during Covid-19 with your safety as our top priority. We want to assure you that you can still find a Realtor, sell your house, and #StayHome by following local and state guidelines. We’re confident in our Root process and have made innovative adaptations with the assistance of technology to give you a seamless transaction!

How To Sell A House During Quarantine

If you’re relocating for a job, want to downsize, or simply need more space for the kids now at home, the team at Root can help you sell your home. Here is how Root Realty will prioritize your health and your goals:

• Schedule a virtual Listing Appointment. Connect with one of the agents at Root to talk about selling your home! It’s important to find a REALTOR® who will sell your house and understand the ins and outs of the process. At Root Realty, our average is only 31 days on market, while the average Realtor in NE Florida averages over 70 days! You can connect with our team through a FaceTime call, Zoom meeting, Google Hangout, or phone call to discuss the best practice to sell your house. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, see the neighborhood comparisons, and more! Not only will you gain a new friend in the process, but you’ll better understand the steps you need to take to make your house market ready.

• Make any necessary adjustments. Your Root agent can help you understand what will add value to your house, before it hits the Multiple Listing Service. With extra time at home, your agent can give you advice as to the projects that will help sell your home quickly.

• Photo time! Our Preferred Partner, Residential Photography Solutions, is offering amazing packages for professional photos of your home. This will make our house stand out on MLS! He is also offering Virtual Home Tours, so you can provide buyers with an inside look at your home, while you both can shelter in place!

• Marketing begins! As your house hits the Multiple Listing Service, our team will focus on digital marketing to sell your house quickly. Your house will be posted on all of our social profiles to over 15,000 local followers! Additionally, our team will collaborate ways to market your home to buyers they are currently working with or anyone they know who may be interested within their network.

• Host Showings. Your health and safety are the top priorities of Root Realty and the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. We are only encouraging in-person showings to those who are interested in making an offer on your home. As buyers become increasingly interested, your Root agent will coordinate with you to ensure you are comfortable with showings. You can go outside for your daily walk, while we ask agents to follow our #SafeForYourHome guidelines. If you’re interested in how we’re encouraging buyers to follow safety precautions, check out this post. We’ve created guidelines to help you reduce contact and exposure with anyone who enters your home. We are also allowing Virtual Open Houses, so people can call into a video chat for a tour and reduce contact in your home.

• Accept an offer. Your Root agent will help you handle your offer(s). She will present you with the offer(s) that have come in for your home, and you can discuss which option works best for you and/or your family. Then, everything from this point forward can be done digitally! You can connect via email, phone, text, or Zoom to discuss the process with your agent. Once you accept an offer, our incredible Transaction Coordinator, Beckie Hyatt from Transaction Medics, LLC, will make sure every element is in place for a stress-free closing!

• Allow inspections and appraisal. Each of our Preferred Partners, BW Home Inspections, Biltrite Home Inspections, and Southern Brothers Home Inspections, as well as appraisers we work with are certified with Covid-19 Safety Guidelines. They will wear masks, gloves, follow social distancing protocols, and are asking that no one attend inspections unless absolutely necessary. After completing the inspection, they will thoroughly sanitize your home.

• Complete a Final Walkthrough and Close Virtually! Our amazing Preferred Partners J. Riley Law, PLC. are offering Drive-Up Closings, so you can stay in your own vehicle but sign your documents! There are also options for mail away closings and digital notaries. Talk to your agent about the option that you’re most comfortable with!