April 2015 - Choice One Real Estate

An Unlikely Place to Find Free Seeds for Your Garden

by Robert MacDougall | Apr 21, 2015 | Green Living

Want free seeds for your vegetable garden? Look no farther than your kitchen.

Free seeds and starter plants for your vegetable garden happily live in your refrigerator and pantry. Plant a potato and you’ll harvest a bagful; plant a single horseradish root, and you’ll grow a field of the eye-watering spice.

Theoretically, every fruit or vegetable seed in your kitchen can germinate and deliver baby produce. But some store-bought veggies are hybrids and produce offspring that look nothing like their parents. Others are irradiated to prevent insect infestation, or sprayed with anti-sprouting chemicals to prevent spoilage, which wrecks their ability to go forth and multiply.

Your best bet is to shop for produce in an organic market. Seeds (and tuberous roots) from chemical-free produce yield plants that sprout readily and look like their folks.

Here’s a look at some kitchen leftovers you can plant this spring.

Celery: The next time you chop celery, save the crown (the bottom), place it in a shallow bowl of water until the center leaves turn green and sprout, then transplant it into your garden. Or, just plant the crown straight from crisper into garden, keeping the top of the crown at soil level. Not only is celery a yummy vegetable, it attracts beneficial insects that keep unwanted bugs at bay.

Garlic: Separate cloves and plant the largest ones pointy-side up, under about 2 inches of rich, well-drained soil. Plant garlic around roses to reduce black spot and sooty mold.

Poppies: For a brilliant floral display, shake poppy seeds directly from the container onto well-drained soil. Lightly press into the ground and cover with a dusting of soil. Thin seedlings to about 10 inches apart.

Horseradish: In the fall, plant the tuberous horseradish roots horizontally under 2 inches of soil that’s been well-worked with compost. The plant is invasive and spreads quickly, so plant at the end of garden rows or in areas where they have room to wander. Harvest with a pitchfork in late fall.

Ginger: Select a plump ginger rhizome with many small, growing buds. Plant just under rich soil in a spot with filtered sunlight and wind protection. Avoid planting in low-lying areas, or in spots with poor drainage.

Sesame: These seeds grow into flowering plants that are resistant to heat, drought, and pests. Press seeds 1 inch into well-draining soil. Water lightly for 3-5 days after planting, then as needed. Be sure not to overwater, because sesame plants do not like to sit in wet soil. Harvest in about 150 days after seed pods open and seeds are thoroughly dry.

Beans and peas: It’s easy-peasy to plant any dried bean or pea. Just push the seed under 1-2 inches of loose, rich soil in a location that gets at least 6 hours of sun each day. If your soil is hard clay, grow beans and peas in a container.

Potatoes: If you’ve ever kept a potato too long in a bowl, you’ve seen the plants begin to sprout. Place the potato in a 10-inch-deep hole, and cover with rich soil. As the plant grows, continue to mound soil around its stem. Harvest potatoes in late fall.

Tomatoes: If you love heirloom tomatoes, cut them in half to scrape out their seeds. “Ferment” seeds in a glass jar with about a cup of water for 2-4 days. When a foamy mold appears, rinse and dry seeds on a paper plate. Start tomato plants indoors in containers, then transplant to a garden spot with full sun.

How to Create the Garage Workshop of Your Dreams

by Robert MacDougall | Apr 21, 2015 | renovations

A weekend and a few hundred bucks can unleash your inner craftsman.

Garages often harbor a not-so-secret second life: heroic home workshop. They’re well-suited to the task, with a tolerance for the noise and dust of do-it-yourself projects.

But if a garage workshop isn’t comfortable and convenient to use, you’ll avoid projects rather than enjoy them. Here are the essentials:

Adequate work space. Ideally, you’ll need room to work even when your cars are parked inside. Figure a minimum area of 10 ft. long and 6 ft. deep.

Appropriate storage. Places for tools and supplies are mandatory — the top of your work surface doesn’t count!

Excellent lighting. Both task and ambient lighting help keep you safe and projects mistake-free.

Durable surfaces. Pound away on your work surface — it can take it.

Easy-to-clean environment.

You can assemble a basic workbench, cabinets, shelving, and add simple overhead lighting for less than $500. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s no end; you can spend tens of thousands of dollars creating an ultimate garage shop showplace.

Your Workbench — Heart and Soul of DIY

Your primary work surface should be a rock-solid bench with a hard and heavy top. Buy or build the best you can manage. (Then vow to keep the top clear — tools and materials have a way of eating up workbench space).

Premade workbenches run $100 to $500 and come in many lengths; they’re usually 24 inches deep. A 38-inch height is typical, but you might be more comfortable with a work surface as low as 36 or as high as 42 inches. Some benches include vises, drawers, and shelves.

Build one yourself using readily available plans. A simple, sturdy workbench takes less than a day to build and materials cost less than $100. The Family Handyman magazine offers detailed instructions for several, including an inexpensive, simple bench. Amore complex bench with a miter saw stand and drawers costs $300-$500 to build and takes a weekend.

The Right Bright Light

Garage work surfaces need bright ambient light and strong task lighting.

High-intensity lights (halogen, LEDs, and others) are great for over-bench task lighting. An LED task light with a flexible goose-neck ($75-$150) puts light where you need it.

If your garage has a finished ceiling, recessed fixtures (can lights) are inexpensive ($10-$20) and are good for task and ambient lighting.

Ceiling-mounted fluorescent light fixtures are the classic, low-cost solution for workshop lighting. A two- or four-bulb, 48-inch fluorescent fixture costs less than $50.

When shopping for workshop lighting, think lumens rather than watts. A lumen is a measure of lighting brightness, and is a handy way to compare today’s new energy-efficient light bulbs. Lighting fixtures and bulbs have labels that indicate lumens per device. A general rule of thumb is to use 130 to 150 lumens per square foot of work space.

For example, a 40-watt fluorescent bulb puts out about 2,200 lumens. A 60-watt incandescent bulb puts out about 800 lumens.

Adding Adequate Electrical Power

Along with your new lights, be sure your garage workshop has adequate electrical service — outlets and capacity — to accommodate your arsenal of power tools. Place outlets nearby; don’t depend on extension cords stretched across your garage — they can be a tripping hazard. If you don’t have 30-amp circuits on your garage service, talk with an electrical contractor about making this simple upgrade.

Ballpark $75-$100 an hour for an electrical contractor, plus a probable service-call fee of $50 to $100. Rates will vary across regions of the country.

Good electricians work quickly, so installing shop lights might take only an hour or two if access to electrical service is readily available. Increasing circuit capacity generally requires running new, heavier-gauge wire from your circuit-breaker box to the shop site.

Storage: Everything in Its Place

Don’t make yourself rummage through old coffee cans full of rattling bolts and bits: Visit home improvement centers for garage storage ideas and products.

Modular, wall-mounted garage storage systems let you configure shelves, bins, and hooks the way you need. Cost is about $10 per sq. ft. of wall space.

Plastic bins and hefty tubs protect tools, sandpaper, and tool manuals from insects, rodents, and dust. A 10-gallon plastic tub with lid is $5-$8.

Old kitchen cabinets, available where salvaged building materials are sold, are a great way to add storage — and a homemade workbench. Salvaged cabinets are about 50-75% cheaper than new. Top a run of cabinets with ¾-inch plywood for a durable work surface.

How to Prevent Weeds from Ever Sprouting

by Robert MacDougall | Apr 21, 2015 | Homeownership

When it comes to weeds in your garden, an hour of prevention is better than a season of yanking.

Unlike seeds and plants you buy from catalogs and nurseries, indigenous common weeds are naturally suited to the sun, soil, and water conditions of your garden. That’s why it’s so hard to get rid of weeds after they’ve taken root.

But if you prevent weed seeds from germinating, your garden will be weed-free. Here are some surefire ways to keep weeds from growing in the first place.

Shhh! Don’t Disturb the Soil

Weed seeds “sleep” in your soil all the time, just waiting for sunshine to enable them to germinate. Left underground, many weed seeds remain dormant for years. So the less you disturb the soil, the more likely weed seeds will remain asleep.

Avoid high-powered tillers, and go easy on the hand cultivating. Sow your flower and vegetable seeds above the ground in mounds of compost, shredded leaves, or even in bags of topsoil. Better yet, plant seedlings and starts.

Smother Weed Seeds

Another way to keep seeds asleep is to cover your soil with sun-blocking organic or synthetic mulches.

Organic mulches — hardwood mulch, newspaper, cardboard, straw — degrade in a few months and improve soil structure and add nutrients. Synthetic mulches — landscaping paper, plastic — can last several seasons, but won’t help rebuild soil when they eventually degrade.

Heed these mulching tips:

Wet the ground before you lay down layers of paper, which will prevent the paper from blowing away while you work.

Scout yard sales for old carpet and wallpaper, efficient sun blocks that prevent weeds.

Spread mulch 2 to 4 inches deep to suppress weeds and retain moisture.

Always pick straw, not hay, to prevent weeds. Hay usually contains hayseeds, which will sprout where you’re trying to keep weeds out.

Learn more about mulching with our handy garden mulch guide.

Wage a Chemical Attack

Pre-emergent herbicides prevent weed seeds from germinating, but don’t kill existing plants and grasses.

The exact timing for applying a pre-emergent herbicide is hard to pinpoint because you must spread the herbicide before seeds germinate, which happens underground at different times.

Conventional gardening wisdom says spread pre-emergent herbicides when the daffodils pop or the forsythia wilts. But advance planning is the best way to determine when to spread. Log the date when you see the first weeds in your garden, then subtract three weeks to arrive at the date you should spread the pre-emergent herbicide next spring.

Grow Up Close and Personal

The closer together you plant your flowers and vegetables, the less space weed seeds will have to grow.

If you double-dig — loosen (don’t pulverize) soil at least 2 feet down — you can plant cheek-by-jowl, because plant roots can grow down, not out, to find water and nourishment. If you plant intensively in a diamond-shaped pattern — rather than rows — you’ll avoid barren spots where weeds will grow.

To keep weeds out of lawns, make sure your grass is lush and healthy so weeds have no room to grow. Reseed bald patches; fertilize if a soil test determines nutrient deficiencies; aerate in the fall.

Plant These Fun Veggies Your Kids Will Love to Eat

by Robert MacDougall | Apr 16, 2015 | Homeownership

Win the eternal battle between kids and veggies by letting your little ones plant these child-friendly varieties in your garden. The more invested they are in the growing process, the more they’ll want to eat the fruits (and veggies!) of their labor.

Heirlooms: Heirloom (non-hybrid) veggies can grow in surprising colors and wacky shapes. Try:

Chocolate peppers

Watermelon radishes

Italian rose beans

As an added bonus: Heirloom plants and seeds can trace their ancestry back hundreds of years, so you can slip in some history while you’re planting with your kids.

Popcorn: Your kids can grow their own popcorn — specialty kernels with tough hulls and starchy centers that produce the pop! when heated. Japanese White hull-less and Robust Yellow hybrid are popular varieties.

Grow in full sun and keep well-watered.

Leafy greens: Greens provide almost instant gratification for kids. Little hands can scatter lettuce seeds anywhere and see tiny sprouts in about a week. In a month, help them cut the tops for a salad. In hot weather, the plants will bolt (kids will love how they suddenly shoot up), flower, and go to seed, which kids can harvest for planting next year.

Pick mild, sweet varieties, such as iceberg, which are more likely to appeal to youngsters.

For some extra fun, plant leafy greens in an old wheelbarrow or unused wading pool that’s reserved as a garden space just for kids.

Climbing peas: Kids will enjoy watching these vines climb up trellises. Some popular pea seeds:

Super Sugar Snap

China Snow

Mammoth Melting Sugar

Plant in full sun as soon as the soil has thawed.

Cherry tomatoes: Kids will gladly pop these sweet mini-tomatoes into their mouths straight from the vine.

Sweet 100 and Matt’s Wild Cherry are particularly yummy and sweet.

Sungold produces a golden-orange fruit.

Snow White is a pale yellow, almost white.

Jolly Elf is oblong with sweet, red fruits.

Be prepared to stake or cage the plants, because they can grow 8 feet tall. And throw on some mulch so they don’t dry out.

Growing tomatoes can be tricky, so check out this helpful article, How to Grow Your Best Tomatoes Ever.

Pumpkins: What kid doesn’t love a pumpkin? Large seeds are easy for kids to plant in little hills surrounded by plenty of open growing space: a single vine can stretch 30 feet.

Connecticut Field is the traditional jack-o’-lantern pumpkin.

Rouge Vif d’Etampes is the Cinderella coach pumpkin.

Musquee de Provence is a flavorful, deep-brown pumpkin with orange flesh.

Cucurbita maxima is the giant pumpkin that can top 500 pounds.

Even if you can’t get your kids to eat roasted pumpkin, they’ll love the toasted and salted pumpkin seeds. Warning: never throw pumpkin pulp down the drain; it can wreck your disposal.

Potatoes: If your kids like treasure hunts, they’ll love to grow potatoes they can search for in late fall. As foliage grows, continue to add soil around the stems. Then, when the green parts die, let the kids get down and dirty digging up the spuds.

Pizza fixings: Kids can grow oregano, basil, and thyme to spice up their pizzas.

Basil likes hot weather and well-drained soil.

Oregano self-seeds, so thin plants annually.

Thyme seeds are hard to germinate, so avoid frustration and plant seedlings.

Want more veggie gardening tips?

You can find free seeds for your veggie garden right in your own kitchen.

Veggie gardening newbies will want to avoid making these rookie gardening mistakes.

How to Keep Your House Cool Without AC

by Robert MacDougall | Apr 16, 2015 | Homeownership

You don’t have to switch on the air conditioner to get a big chill this summer. These tips will help you keep your house cool without AC, which will save energy (and avoid AC wars with your family).

Block that Sun!

When sunlight enters your house, it turns into heat. You’ll keep your house cooler if you reduce solar heat gain by keeping sunlight out.

Close the drapes: Line them with light-colored fabric that reflects the sun, and close them during the hottest part of the day. Let them pillow onto the floor to block air movement.

Add awnings: Install them on south- and west-facing windows to reduce solar heat gain by up to 77%, says the U.S. Department of Energy. Make your own by tacking up sheets outside your windows and draping the ends over a railing or lawn chair.

Install shutters: Interior and exterior shutters not only reduce heat gain and loss, but they also add security and protect against bad weather. Interior shutters with adjustable slats let you control how much sun you let in.

Apply high-reflectivity window film: Install energy-saving window films on east- and west-facing windows, which will keep you cool in summer, but let in warming sun in the winter. Mirror-like films are more effective than colored transparent films.

Here’s more information about energy-efficient window coverings.

Open Those Windows

Be sure to open windows when the outside temperature is lower than the inside. Cool air helps lower the temps of everything — walls, floors, furniture — that will absorb heat as temps rise, helping inside air say cooler longer.

To create cross-ventilation, open windows on opposite sides of the house. Good ventilation helps reduce VOCs and prevents mold.

Fire Up Fans

Portable fans: At night, place fans in open windows to move cool air. In the day, put fans where you feel their cooling breezes (moving air evaporates perspiration and lowers your body temperature). To get extra cool, place glasses or bowls of ice water in front of fans, which will chill the moving air.

Ceiling fans: For maximum cooling effect, make sure ceiling fans spin in the direction that pushes air down, rather than sucks it up. Be sure to turn off fans when you’re not in the room, because fan motors give off heat, too.

Whole house fans: A whole-house fan ($1,000 to $1,600, including install) exhausts hot inside air out through roof vents. Make sure your windows are open when you run a whole-house fan.

Power Down Appliances

You’ll save money and reduce heat output by turning off appliances you’re not using, particularly your computer and television. Powering down multiple appliances is easier if you connect them to the same power strip.

Don’t use heat- and steam-generating appliances — ranges, ovens, washers, dryers — during the hottest part of the day. In fact, take advantage of the heat by drying clothes outside on a line.

Plant Trees and Vines

These green house-coolers shade your home’s exterior and keep sunlight out of windows. Plant them by west-facing walls, where the sun is strongest.

Deciduous trees, which leaf out in spring and drop leaves in fall, are best because they provide shade in summer, then let in sun when temperatures drop in autumn. Select trees that are native to your area, which have a better chance of surviving. When planting, determine the height, canopy width, and root spread of the mature tree and plant accordingly.

Climbing vines, such as ivy and Virginia creeper, also are good outside insulators. To prevent vine rootlets or tendrils from compromising your siding, grow them on trellises or wires about 6 inches away from the house.

Speaking of shade, here are smart, inexpensive ideas for shading your patio.

Want more tips for staying cool this summer? Substitute CFL and LED bulbs for hotter incandescent lights.

Also, try insulating your garage door to prevent heat buildup.

« Older Entries

James Piggot

13:17 08 Mar 18

My experience purchasing my first home through Choice One was fantastic from start to finish. Marco and Kristin made the process simple to understand and they were always available to help with any questions I had. I've owned my home for 2 years now and they have even been there over the last 2 years when I had questions about many issues such as the Homestead Act, taxes, Mortgage questions and even helped me find ways to optimize my homeowners insurance to ensure I was making the right choices. I saved a significant amount after reviewing with them just recently. Whether you are looking for a new home or another home, I can't express enough how great Choice One is and their individualized family touch will help you be assured that you've made the best "choice" possible with people who care. Thanks Choice One!

Alan Piggot

21:10 07 Mar 18

As a first time home buyer, when we started looking for our first home I had only heard how stressful and intense buying a home could be. At my brothers recommendation I contacted Marcos and Kristin at Choice One. What really stood out through our journey with them was their honesty and expertise in the south Miami area. Marcos is very humble and honest. He let us know what to expect every step of the way and was excellent at helping us determine what features of a home we desired, and what the value of those features were at that time in the market. When we found a house we loved for a price we thought was great, Marcos had my wife and I walk through the house together making funny requests, like stand in the kitchen, walk past each other in the laundry room etc. My wife and I then quickly realized what living in the home would be like compared to just liking the home. It was little things he did that change our perspective in big ways on the homes we saw. Looking back, I would have to say that buying a home was actually easier and more fun than buying a car or anything else I have ever bought. The staff and everyone we worked with at Choice One were absolute professionals. We used the title and insurance services from Choice One and all around, everyone was extremely competent and speedy with getting our paperwork signed, sealed, and delivered. 5 stars for sure!!!!!

Alex falgons

01:30 08 Mar 18

I purchased a home through Choice One Real Estate and could not be happier with my overal experience. It was my first home so naturally I was nervous but Kristin and Marcos guided me through the whole process. Long story short we were able to close on the house in just 2 weeks! Everything was fast and easy... I would definitely recommend them to anyone and everyone looking to purchase or sell their home.

Chuck Roast

15:17 09 Mar 18

Marcos & Kristin Fullana exceeded our expectations. We were looking for a very quick sale and was willing to make concessions on our house to help with a quick sale. Marcos & Kristin asked us to have faith in their ability's and not under cut the value of our house. 7 days later, were accepted and offer and were under contract. 30 days after that, we were closing on our house. Marcos & Kristin are strait shooters and are very direct when you sit and talk with them, which is very uncommon these days.Thank you Marcos & KristinJamie and Sarah Zweydoff

Amparo Villanueva

23:18 07 Mar 18

Choice One Real Estate are professional, honest, approachable and reliable. Ready to assist, always prompt and sold my house in less than six months! We would use them again. Santos and Amparo Villanueva

Cindy Hinton

14:09 18 Mar 18

I would highly recommend Choice One with your selling or buying of a home. They were terrific when my mom was selling her home could not have done it without them. They will go the extra mile for their clients. Always willing to help out if needed. Thanks again for all your help in selling of my mother's home. Would definitely use them again........

Amanda Tappendorf

18:20 17 Mar 18

Kristin, Marcos & their team went above and beyond over and over again for our family. They were extremely knowledgable, did extensive research, and provided us with well thought out and flexible (to our needs) marketing plans to sell our home. I cannot recommend them enough!

kandice deMoya

22:07 09 Jul 18

I was so happy I chose Choice One reality, Holly Arguelles was my realtor. She made every aspect of selling my home smooth and stress free. The entire experience was great thanks to my realtor and Choice One. I would highly recommend !

mike mcgowan

13:55 06 Aug 18

To call Laura Derrick good or great or amazing wouldn’t do her justice. The only word I can think of that adequately describes her is ‘perfect’. We got what we wanted for our house and it sold and closed super quickly. It was painless and exactly what we were looking for. A+, 5 stars, 10/10!

Lori Schubert

17:42 17 Sep 18

Working with Laura and Ron Derrick was a pleasure. They are a professional power couple that gets things done. It was a great experience and I would highly recommend!

Jason Poppell

18:43 06 Nov 18

If you are looking for a realtor team that you can trust and will take a personal interest in your property goals look no further than Kristen and Marcos Fullana. They were both extremely professional and diligent making sure I received the best deal possible for my house when I put it on the market. I could not have been happier with the results I received from their work.

Elizabeth Carlisle

02:26 15 Feb 19

Laura Derrick is wonderful! We would never have found our wonderful rental property without her dedication and superb local knowledge. She is professional, kind and passionate about matching her clients with the right home for their needs. We cannot recommend her enough and if you trust Laura and Choice One Real Estate you will not be disappointed!!

Jill Volovar

19:55 15 Feb 19

Working with Laura was awesome. She was always available and cheerful. She was super creative and had new ideas all the time. Consider Laura Derick as your realtor at Choice One Real Estate!!!!

Jacq'ee C

12:34 23 Mar 19

Laura is an A+MAZING realtor! It is rare to encounter such professionalism in Miami Dade county and she knows her stuff. I wasted 10 months with a large well known company hoping that my realtor would close the deal, but it never happened. Thankfully a friend told me about how Laura helped them sell and buy their home and how wonderful she was throughout the entire process. I have to say that she is incredible and true to her word. She worked hard and stayed in constant communication with me and in less than two months, my house was off the market. I couldn't be happier with my experience. Thank you Laura and Choice One Real Estate!

Alejandra Tamayo

02:19 30 Mar 19

We can't speak highly enough of our experience with Marcos Fullana. He’s knowledgeable, honest and cares about his clients. Additionally, he always answered every call, text and email. We highly recommend Marcos Fullana, he’s someone you can trust and a pleasure to work with.

Ryne Phillips

18:35 18 Jun 19

Marcos promised us a 5 star experience and he did not disappoint. His knowledge and experience made my wife and I feel at ease throughout the entire sale of our house. He was never to busy for us and was always there to answer our questions.

Aj Miller

01:17 22 Jul 19

BLUF - Laura Derrick and the team is amazing!This might be a little long, but I always like more information than too little. I first met Laura and the team at Choice One when I bought my house. She represented the sellers and honestly, by the end of my closing I was talking to her more than my own Realtor. My fault, when I bought my house, I did a bad job researching my real estate agent and my purchase almost suffered for it. Laura actually handle a large portion of my purchase... see I have strange luck and the most random things kept happening with the home. For example, the survey company accidentally added the land of my soon to be home into the purchase of the property behind the house, so the house was good to sell, but the land the house was on was owned by another person (complete accident found out during the survey). My real estate agent didn't have a clue what to do, but Laura and the team came to the rescue. They worked with the courts and the legal team to get everything fixed, crazy thing after crazy thing. Laura worked with my Realtor to ensure I was able to close with in a few days of my original date, even with all the random issues. In fact, Laura is the one that I saw more often than my own Realtor. So when it came time to sell, I went to Laura to represent me. Again, cause its me, random stuff happens. My work moved me to a new location after only be in Miami for less than a year. Yup, I owned the house for less than a year. Want to talk about stress! I had to sell the house, try to make up my expenses, not loose too much, and do it all in a short time period. Again, Laura the woman with a plan came to the rescue. She is honest and always up front about everything. She will not sugar coat anything to make you feel better. She gives you the hard facts so you know exactly where you stand and what to expect. But at the same time, she will do what it is you want. I knew I was pricing the house a little high, but she worked with me. She showed me the numbers so I knew what I was up against. I ended up pricing about 10000 less than I wanted, but there was no way that I was going to get that on a house I lived in for only a year. When the offer came it, she gave me an honest thoughts on the offer and walked me through everything. EVERYTHING.Through out the whole process she was amazing. I have fur-children that she would take care of during showings, making sure to open the doggie door for them after and giving them tons of love while she was showing. I mean, couldn't have been better. She even straightened up one time when she had a last minute showing for me! Laura also had professional photos done for the house and helped me stage it.For closing, Laura and the team were rushing to once again help a buyer. The buyers team of people... well they were not at the same standard as Choice One. They messed up the loan rate lock date, so Laura and her team were rushing to try and close about a week early. They were so nice to help the new family out. I had a house hunting trip planned, so I was going to be out of town, Choice One went over all the paperwork with me ahead of time and we did a POA so they could sign for me since I would be out of town. Just amazing team work.I cannot express how amazing this team is, for buying and selling.Thank you Choice One and Laura for the hard work!

Stephanie Manjarres

20:02 02 Aug 19

My experience with Marcos was great. He is very professional, punctual, and overall a very pleasant buying experience. Thank you for helping me buy my “lake house”.

Jessy Pineda

19:31 21 Aug 19

Everyone at Choice One is exceptional. From finding your home, helping with the financing, to obtaining the proper homeowners insurance - they are true professionals. They always do their best to find the lowest insurance premiums for auto, too. Choice One is truly a gem. A true one stop shop.

Carol Fink

19:11 14 Dec 19

Laura Derrick was so professional and helpful in selling our home. When the buyers’ real estate agent dragged his feet, she was able to light a fire under him and get the closing finalized. Thank you Laura, you’re a gem!

Christine Nall

20:54 22 Apr 20

Absolutely amazing! When I decided to move out with they son, I told Laura exactly what I wanted and my price range and she exceeded expectations and also made the process as painless and headache free as possible! We all know looking for places can be a hassle but I knew I didn’t have anything to worry about with her the second I reached out for help. She’s very patient, kind and attentive to everyone’s needs. I would highly recommend not only her, but also her colleagues. They make a truly amazing team.

Karen Neher

02:39 08 Apr 20

Marcos Fullana is very professional. He explained the entire process very clearly and always responded quickly to any questions we had. We were very impressed by how well he represented us. Through his skillful negotiations, he obtained an offer of the asking price on the first day the house was shown. He is very honest and reliable. We are extremely satisfied with his service and highly recommend him!

02:32 16 Apr 20

Update: The review below I wrote two years ago when we bought our first home. Well, we found our dream home and Marcos and the whole team at choice one helped us get into it. I wanted to provide another review that nothing has changed with Marcos and Choice One. Marcos provided that same "attention to every detail" type of service. We are so pleased with Marcos that we recommend him to anyone we know looking for a home to buy or rent.** From 2 years ago****As a first time home buyer, when we started looking for our first home I had only heard how stressful and intense buying a home could be. At my brothers recommendation I contacted Marcos and Kristin at Choice One. What really stood out through our journey with them was their honesty and expertise in the south Miami area. Marcos is very humble and honest. He let us know what to expect every step of the way and was excellent at helping us determine what features of a home we desired, and what the value of those features were at that time in the market. When we found a house we loved for a price we thought was great, Marcos had my wife and I walk through the house together making funny requests, like stand in the kitchen, walk past each other in the laundry room etc. My wife and I then quickly realized what living in the home would be like compared to just liking the home. It was little things he did that change our perspective in big ways on the homes we saw. Looking back, I would have to say that buying a home was actually easier and more fun than buying a car or anything else I have ever bought. The staff and everyone we worked with at Choice One were absolute professionals. We used the title and insurance services from Choice One and all around, everyone was extremely competent and speedy with getting our paperwork signed, sealed, and delivered. 5 stars for sure!!!!!

A Google User

16:58 12 Jul 20

Marcos was the best real state agent I have ever had. I have purchased/sold 7 homes in my life (that’s 13 real state agents. He sold my house the first day on the market. He kept me abreast on everything that was going on in the process. If I ever need a realtor again, I will select him.

noemi

18:32 13 Jul 20

The realtor, Marcos Fullana, went above & beyond in making sure my property was sold expediously & with the utmost professionalism. He is extremely knowledgeable in real estate & helped guide me through everything. He was involved in everything from day one from paperwork, including, inspections to assure I was protected. His wife Kirsten was also amazing in helping me as well. They are both tenacious, ethical & professional. I highly recommend you hiring them for real estate, mortgages or insurance & I will certainly use them again. Thank you immensely Marcos & Kirsten Fullana !!

Ines Grant

23:40 19 Aug 20

Before choosing a real estate agent, I conducted a lot of research to see who would be the best choice based on the investment they make into selling the property (time and effort, not necessarily financially) and how they promote their listings. My best friend Martha knew of my concerns and highly recommended ChoiceOne Companies/Marcos to handle all my real estate needs and I now understand why!We spoke with Marcos and then met with him at our home. He spent hours answering our questions, providing objective data regarding how many homes they sell, how long their listings typically stay on the market, and providing tons of information on comps in the area. We were concerned that our house, which was an older home and although had lots of updates might be tough to sell. Marcos made the process incredibly easy and took extra steps many other Realtors don't (but should), like givIng us staging tips, having professional photographs taken and a lot more.When we saw our listing, we were blown away. His hard work and knowledge of what it takes to sell a home really paid off. Our listing looked amazing and knocked out the competition. We had a buyer put in an offer sight unseen!!!Our house went under contract 2 days after we put it on the market at 10K above our asking price. We accepted and Marcos walked us through every step of the closing process. It couldn't have been a more pleasant experience.I've recommended ChoiceOne/Marcos to everyone I know. He's a true professional and a genuinely nice guy. I realize it won't always be this easy to sell your home, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better Realtor.

Drake Peterson

21:23 29 Sep 20

Marcos was amazing to work with when purchasing my new home. He knows a wealth of information and was always on top of the closing process. Very organized, professional, responsive, and a pleasure to work with. 10/10 would recommend reaching out to him for any real estate advice or help. He knows a great deal about insurance and any questions someone like myself who was purchasing a house for the first time didn't know. He never missed a beat! Thank you again Marcos!