Everything You Need to Know Before Buying, Selling, Renting, or Moving
Before you begin searching for a new home, the first step is to develop a plan. Ask yourself one simple question:
Do I have to move, or do I simply want to move?
The answer to that question can have a significant impact on your financial future.
For many homeowners, the idea of moving begins with browsing online listings. A larger kitchen, an extra bedroom, a golf course view, or a shorter commute can quickly make your current home seem less appealing. Before you begin touring homes, speaking with lenders, or contacting a real estate agent, there is an important question that should be answered first:
Should you move at all?
Buying a home in Naples Florida can feel overwhelming — especially when trying to balance location, amenities, HOA fees, financing, and price negotiation all at the same time.
That was exactly the challenge this couple faced.
They were searching for a home in a gated community with the lifestyle and amenities they wanted, but they also needed the numbers to make sense financially. Like many buyers, they were frustrated trying to sort through listings, compare communities, and determine which homes were truly a good value.
I was reading the latest Gallup Honesty and Ethics of Professions Poll and something interesting stood out.
The most recent survey (Dec 2025 poll released Jan 2026):
• surveyed 21 professions
• real estate agents ranked in the lower third
• only about 17% of Americans rate their honesty/ethics as high or very high
Yet when you look at actual transactions, most homes are still bought and sold through agents.
I started digging into why that might be the case, especially here in Florida.
A few structural reasons stood out.
