Frequently Asked Questions

Carib-Gulf Realty

I see Carib-Gulf Realty offers Real Estate Consulting. What exactly is that?

Great question. Carib-Gulf Realty's exclusive On-Call Consulting Program enables buyers or sellers to pursue their own real estate endeavors, yet provides them with the added confidence of having a skilled, professional real estate expert "on-call." We advise you, never sell you.

Consulting is a service-based approach to providing real estate solutions, as contrasted to the traditional event-based approach. That means you pay for services when you need and want them - a pay as you go approach - rather than paying for a bundle of services at one time, usually at closing.

Think of your real estate consultant as you would think of your attorney. We're here to advise you, support you, and help you succesfully reach your real estate goals and objectives. You could say we provide both the Yin and the Yang of real estate solutions.
Our Consultants think using both Brain Hemispheres!

Have a problem that you can't solve? Want someone to help negotiate that thorny contract? Need an evaluation of a property outside a sales transaction? Want to avoid making investing mistakes? Simply pick up the phone, call us and tell us the situation, we'll evaluate it and begin the curative process. Our Realtor® agent fees are surprisingly affordable, and you only pay for the time that you need and use.

Individual Carib-Gulf Realty agents are members of the National Association of Real Estate Consultants (NAREC) and hold the Consumer-Certified Real Estate Consultant (C-CREC™) certification. Other Carib-Gulf agents are Graduate Real Estate Consultants and hold the GREC certification, and some have both certifications. And some agents hold the Accredited Consultant in Real Estate (ACRE™) designation. These certifications are awarded to only those agents who have demonstrated the highest degree of training, expertise and professionalism in real estate consulting. Some agents with other companies call themselves consultants, but have no formal training. Carib-Gulf Realty agents are professionally trained and certified as Real Estate Consultants. Always look for these logos to be assured of the highest professional standard in real estate consulting.

National Association of Real Estate Consultants

*Hourly fees and Fee for Services fees vary from market to market. Check with your area agent to verify rates in your area.

Can Carib-Gulf Group help me buy and sell real estate?
Absolutely. We have over thirty years of residential and commercial real estate brokerage experience, providing real estate consulting and counseling, brokerage and management to our clients. We've built, listed, sold and managed tens of millions of dollars worth of residential and commercial real estate throughout the state of Florida and elsewhere. From land in the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea to mountain lots in the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee to Marinas in Florida, we've done it all! As a Licensed Real Estate Broker, and as members of both commercial and residential Associations of Realtors, we have access to Multiple Listing Systems all across central Florida. We are a trend leader in the real estate industry, and our business model includes using the cutting edge of internet marketing technologies. Never straying too far from our roots - traditional and local marketing - we bring together the best of both worlds. We offer both traditional agency relationships with our clients as well as consulting. Our exclusive, money saving Fee-For-Services Program lets you pay for only the services you need and want. Through our exclusive network of virtual offices, we service all of Gulf Coast and Central Florida, and we have local presence in Clearwater, Dunedin, Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota, Port Charlotte, and Cape Coral. By maintaining a network of interconnected web sites, Carib-Gulf Realty Group promotes your properties across the Internet to a wide range of tech-savvy Internet Empowered Consumers.

I've heard good things about Buyer Representation. Can you tell me what's that all about?
Can do. In today's Internet-empowered environment many buyers may search the Internet for homes in their selected area and price range. But simply finding the home is only half the battle. More sophisticated buyers realize they will need some help once they find that perfect dream home. The Buyer Representative works directly with the buyer, and respresents the buyer - not the seller. The Buyer Rep helps negotiate the contract in the Buyer's best interests, helps schedule and coordinate the necessary inspections, helps locate suitable financing, and generally makes the buying process smooth and trouble free, always representing the buyer. Individual Carib-Gulf Realty agents have extensive professional training in Buyer Represenation, and hold the EBA designation - Exclusive Buyers Agent. It's just one more of the many services you get from Carib-Gulf Realty.

Can you tell me about tax-deferred exchanges?
Sure. A tax deferred exchange, also called a 1031 exchange, is a legal way to avoid capital gains taxes levied on the sale of property. The most commonly used tax-deferral strategy is the Forward Delayed Exchange. In a typical Delayed Exchange, the taxpayer sells a business or investment property and acquires replacement property of equal or greater value within 180 days. The use of a Qualified Intermediary is required to facilitate a valid IRS-recognized tax-deferred exchange. But before you begin the exchange process, be sure to consult with your tax or financial advisor to ensure that a 1031 exchange is right for you. Then, begin the exchange process in three easy steps:

1. Sale of the Relinquished Property. Before the sale of the first property the Exchanger must add certain facilitating language into the Exchanger's Contract for Sale and complete the additional documentation prepared by the Qualified Intermediary. On closing, the closing proceeds are delivered directly to the Qualified Intermediary.

2. Identification of the Replacement Property. The Exchanger must identify the property to be purchased (generally called the "Replacement Property") within 45 days following the sale of the Relinquished Property. The taxpayer may generally identify up to three properties as a potential Replacement Property, or more subject to certain restrictions.

3. Purchase of the Replacement Property. The Exchanger must obtain the Replacement Property within 180 days following the sale of the Relinquished Property, which must be identified property, subject to the rules listed above. On closing, the closing proceeds are paid directly by the Qualified Intermediary, and the Exchanger receives the Deed to the Replacement Property.

There are other types of exchanges, such as reverse exchanges, improvement exchanges, and personal property exchanges. It's importatnt that everyone involved in the transactions - Realtors®, sellers, attorneys, and advisors - be aware that the your doing a 1031 exchange. It's a process that takes planning, and without the proper planning, the IRS may disallow the tax deferrment, making you liable for the capitak gains.

In what other professional associations do you hold membership?

National Association of Realtors

Florida Association of Realtors

Florida Gulfcoast Commercial Association of Realtors

Greater Tampa Association of Realtors

Orlando Regional Realtor Association

Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte-North Port Association of Realtors

Pinellas Realtor Organization

Manatee Association of Realtors

Sarasota Association of Realtors

National Association of Real Estate Consultants

Accredited Consultant in Real Estate Council

Association of Commercial Real Estate Underwriting

American Institute of Real Estate Exchangors

Florida Venture Capital Forum

Certified House Values Professional

Consumer-Certified Real Rstate Consultant

Florida Gulfcoast Commercial Association of Realtors

Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte-North Port Association of Realtors

Carib-Gulf Capital

Can you arrange for a mortgage for my commercial or residential real estate?
Yes, we can. As a Licensed Mortgage Brokerage Business, we have contacts with many private lenders and institutions, and we utilize exclusive virtual online mortgage lending systems. These virtual systems allow us to present your real estate mortgage proposal to hundreds of interested lenders in real time via the Internet. In fact, you can apply for a mortgage online right here! Whether it's for a commercial-investement property or a residential property, we get answers fast.

What's a Venture Capital Intermediary, and how does it work?
An intermediary, sometimes called a facilitator, acts as a liaison between the client and the venture capital markets, making the funding process smoother. We match your project's financial needs and industry type against our extensive investor database. We then contact those investors, present your deal, and begin the deal making process

Won't venture capitalists want to control my company?
It's doubtful. Venture firms want to protect their investment, of course, but are generally not in the business of micro-managing the companies they finance. Typically they will require a seat on the Board of Directors.

Don't Intermediaries cost a fortune?
Actually, experienced professionals add value to the funding process and are fairly compensated for their services and expertice. They can make the difference between merely submitting a deal to a funder, and getting the deal funded.

How do I know my deal will get funded?
You don’t. The funding process is fluid and unpredictable. It’s a function of financing type, market timing, management strength, industry, chemistry and most importantly, investor acceptance. With our help, you will know if your deal is fundable - if it is, we move forward toward funding; if it is not, we help you improve your project so that it has the maximum funder appeal.

I have a business idea. Do I need a business plan?
Yes. Unequivocally. A thorough, comprehensive business plan is a must - an investor won't even talk to you about your deal without one. A good business plan makes a good first impression, and increases your chances of getting funded.

I don't have a business plan. How do I get one?
Right here. We've written dozens of business plans, each professionally developed to hold investor attention. We make your project more attractive to the venture capitalists.

I want Internet exposure for my project, but I don’t want to pay big fees. How do I do that?
Simple. Ask about our Internet Publishing section. For less than the cost of a major newspaper classified ad, we can post a profile of your project or real estate property on the Internet, right here on our Investment Quarterly newsletter section. By listing your contact information directly on the Project Profile, we can direct all inquiries to you. You choose whether to conduct the negotiations with the investors yourself, or whether to have representation on your behalf.

I want to know more. How can I contact you?
That's easy. Drop us a line at Carib-Gulf Capital and just ask us directly. We'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

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