Whitney Dutton Quoted in Realtor Magazine

Native Realty Residential Sales Director Whitney Dutton discussed best practices for working with first-time buyers in a Realtor Magazine piece authored by Barbara Ballinger. The article examines how agents are coming up with creative solutions for such buyers in a market defined by tight inventory levels and elevated interest rates.

“While existing home inventory is in short supply, many builders are trying to meet demand with new products. New construction is an appealing option for many first-time buyers. Helping spur the appetite for new construction are the lower costs of maintaining new housing, due to the lower insurance costs—40% to 50% less versus older homes, says Whitney Dutton, Residential Sales Director of Native Realty, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

In Dutton’s South Florida market, insurance costs have skyrocketed due to climate-related activity. “The insurance companies have increased their regulations on roof age, plumbing and elevation,” he says. “Some companies won’t even insure properties with a 10-year-old roof for example. New homes are also built to new stricter building codes. “While some newer homes may be more to purchase initially than comparable older homes, they are cheaper to own, maintain and overall, a much safer product—with things like high impact windows and doors. This has brought a lot of investors to the table tearing down older homes, building new and selling them to eager first-time buyers,” he says.”

Click here to read the full article.