The St Petersburg Times reports from Florida. “Last year, a Brandon townhouse seemed like the perfect investment for Richard Wojciechowski. He bought a 1,700-square-foot Sabal Pointe home and listed it at $229,000. The retired banker thought it would be an easy sell. But 14 months later, in Hillsborough’s slowest housing market in seven years, the place is still for sale.”

Look at today’s headlines on Floriday Property markets and you will realize that it’s buyers’ market. Home prices and sales decline in Florida, Waterfront Wonderland is 50% off sale, area’s existing home sales, prices down in July… the list goes on and on. Some even call the state of Florida to intervene and help to deflect disaster in foreclosures.

Buying a home in Florida, whether it's your first one or your hundredth, can be a significant financial and emotional step. Be sure you know the pitfalls before you proceed. If you are looking to buy a home for the first time, you have a lot of information to gather before making that decision.

1. Increase your home's "Curb Appeal" before you list it for sale. - The old saying "You only have one chance to make a first impression" is true, and that is also how prospective buyers will view your Florida home when you go to sell it. Most buyers decide what properties they are interested in by driving through neighborhoods and looking at other places for sale...