Blog

Can You Negotiate The Price of a Short Sale?

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Short sale deals in Orlando can mean big savings for home buyers and investors who are experienced with the process. Short sales can be very time-consuming and require a lot more work than a regular sale, but if you’re willing to hang in there, you could end up with a fantastic deal on a home.

WHAT IS A SHORT SALE?

In case you don’t know, a short sale is the sale of a house whereas the mortgage company allows the homeowner to sell the property for an amount less than what’s owed on the note. Because of this, short sales are very popular for homeowners who are no longer able to afford to pay their mortgages. This also allows banks to get most of their money back and avoid taking a homeowner through an expensive foreclosure process.

A short sale is also much better for the homeowner because it allows them to avoid having a foreclosure on their record which is very damaging to your credit score. The short sale process can be beneficial not only for lenders and homeowners but also for potential buyers… if they’re willing to stay the course no matter what.

CAN YOU NEGOTIATE A SHORT SALE?

Short sales are all about back and forth negotiations, but they are anything but short. It can be a very time-consuming process and there’s never a guarantee that the lender will approve your offer. Lenders are not required to accept any short sale offer on any property. To negotiate a successful short sale, you must be familiar with the process.

MAKING AN OFFER ON A SHORT SALE HOME

These days, very few first short sale offers are accepted so don’t get your hopes up. Your ability to negotiate will have a lot to do with what the final accepted price will be.

Very few initial short sale offers are accepted, and for those that are,
there is a large amount of negotiation involved. Your ability to negotiate will often determine the final price that is accepted. Check out the following tips to help you put your best foot forward:

Look at the comps: You must know how much the house is worth so that you know you’re getting a good deal. You should enlist the help of an Orlando real estate agent to help you with this as they have access to the MLS and other tools. Submitting a lowball offer is the quickest way to get rejected while offering too much can cause you to lose money. That’s why having a real estate agent in your corner is vital.

Submitting the 1st Offer: Assuming the homeowner has already been granted permission to short sell their home, the negotiation process begins when you submit your first offer. If the property requires repairs, then you should include a contractor’s estimate with your offer. This is done to justify your offer and also lets the lender know the home needs work.

The Short Sale Agent: Hopefully the listing agent that’s doing the short sale for the seller has some experience processing short sales. If not, then you might be headed for trouble, and unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about it because it’s up to the seller to choose the listing agent.

The BPO aka [brokers price opinion]: After the offer’s been submitted, the lender will order what’s called a BPO. This is usually performed by a local real estate agent of the lender’s choosing to determine what the fair market value of the home is. Whatever this number comes in at will usually determine what the lender is willing to accept. However, sometimes [most of the time] this number will still be a bit higher than it should and so the negotiations begin…

The Counter Offer: If your first offer was accepted, either you offered too much or you are really lucky! Hopefully, it’s the latter…but not likely. Most of the time, the 1st offer will be rejected and the lender will either… tell you how much their willing to accept or they may tell you to submit your final highest, and best offer. At this point, you should tell your realtor to do the comps again before submitting your final and best offer. How the short sale agent handles this will have a lot to do with your chances of success.

Short Sale Tips From a PRO

In my career as an Orlando Real Estate Agent, I’ve completed thousands of successful short sales in Orlando and throughout the state of Florida. I can tell you that processing and negotiating a successful short sale requires skill, experience, tenacity, and most of all patience. To give yourself the best chance at getting a deal, here are some tips:

  • Work With An Experienced Short Sale Agent: Whether you’re looking to buy a short sale or do a short sale on your own home, you should do so with the representation of a real estate agent experienced in short sales. Take your time in finding the right agent as this part is crucial to your success.
  • Have Your Funding in Place: Sometimes lenders will only give you 2 weeks to close on an approved short sale property. You should have your financing in place before you even start submitting offers.
  • Start The Loan Process Early: While not always the case, some banks will offer a small closing window to those looking to secure a short sale (sometimes as little as two weeks). Those that have yet to secure funding may find that the window is too short. Therefore, it’s a good idea to get the ball rolling on financing as soon as possible—perhaps even before the file is sent for final review.
  • Follow up, Follow up, Follow up: Be sure to maintain constant contact with your real estate agent to be aware of what’s happening with the file.

Summary

Short Sale

Short sales in Orlando have served as some of the best deals since 2007 and still do so today, although it’s a bit more competitive now in 2019. However, if you’re willing to put in the work and stay the course, it could mean a big payday for you!

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

How Much Will it Cost to Sell my House?

Posted on by Jenny Zamora


A recent shortage of homes for sale in Orlando, FL gives sellers an advantage in the current housing market. However, many sellers don’t that a real estate transaction will cost them thousands of dollars.

Paying a real estate commission and other associated costs can total up to 10% of the sale price of the home. Realtor commissions are negotiable and other fees can fluctuate slightly with the real estate market. Sellers should be prepared to pay their fair share of the numerous costs involved in selling a home.

Following is a general overview of the various costs to sell a house.

Real Estate Commissions

The commission paid to a real estate agent or agent is by far the biggest fee a seller will pay. The typical real estate commission paid will usually total about 5 to 6 percent, usually divided among 2 real estate agents unless only one agent was used in the transaction. That means if you sell your home for $300,000 you could end up paying up to $18,000.00 in commissions. Typically the commission is split between the buyer’s agent and the listing agent and is almost always paid by the seller.

The good news is that real estate commissions are negotiable [especially in a hot market] and this is something that you should discuss with your real estate agent before you sign the listing agreement.

Some homeowners will try to sell their homes on their own to avoid paying real estate commissions. This usually isn’t a good idea. Real estate agents have a lot of responsibilities in a real estate transaction including:

  • Showing the home to perspective buyers
  • Negotiating price
  • Reviewing the real estate contract
  • Scheduling inspections
  • Walking you through closing

So be prepared to do all of these things yourself if you decide to sell on your own.

House Repairs

If you want to sell your home for top dollar, make sure your home looks as good as possible before showing it to potential buyers. There are quite a few things you can do to enhance your home’s appearance without spending a lot of money. Some fresh paint and a bit of landscaping can go a long way. You should also make sure that the inside of the home is clean, de-cluttered and all the mechanical components are working properly.

If your home needs some updating in the kitchen and bathrooms, it might be investing if your budget allows for it. Depending on the surrounding homes in the area, an updated kitchen and bathrooms can raise the value of a home significantly.

If the home inspector [hired by the buyer] discovers there are problems with the house like a leaky roof or outdated plumbing, you’ll most likely have to make those repairs to close the deal.

Ordering A Home Inspection

As a seller, ordering a home inspection on your home is up to you, and it usually costs around 300-400 dollars. Some homeowners are willing to make this investment because they want to identify and fix any potential problems with the home before the buyer’s inspection is performed.

Ask your Orlando real estate agent whether or not they recommend you order your inspection. As the homeowner, you are obligated to disclose any material defects to the buyer if not corrected.

Staging Your Home

Unless you know what you’re doing, I recommend hiring a professional staging company to stage the home. A good home-stager can do amazing things with furniture and some simple home accessories. The best part is that you don’t have to buy anything. They have their furniture and decorations which they will come and pick up once you sell the home.

Retail buyers should be able to envision what a house can look like at its full potential when they walkthrough. In addition to some fresh paint and updating, it might be worth the investment of staging the home. If you’re living in the home, be sure it isn’t cluttered with too much furniture or junk. You should also make a habit of keeping the home spotless while it’s being marketed. This way you’ll be ready for any surprise showings.

Staging is a great tool for selling homes. We’ve been buying and selling fixer-upper homes in Orlando for a very long time and I can tell you from experience that a properly staged home will sell faster than one that isn’t staged every time!

Professional home stagers usually charge according to the home’s size and how many rooms you want to have staged. For example, if I’m selling a 4 bedroom home, I may only have 1 or 2 of the bedrooms staged and leave the rest of them empty.

Paying Utilities

If you don’t reside in the home you’re selling, be sure to keep the utilities on while it’s being sold. It can be a big turn-off for potential buyers to walk through a home with no ac or lights. It can also cause the buyer to wonder if everything’s working properly.

Paying off the Mortgage

The first thing that gets paid from the sale of your home is the remaining amount on your mortgage. Unless it’s a short sale transaction, Your mortgage payoff should be less than what your sale price is.

If you’re selling one house and buying another? Make sure to find out how much you can afford before buying.

Closing costs

Depending on what you’re able to negotiate, closing costs are generally the responsibility of the buyer. If you’re selling your home in a buyers market, you may be asked to kick in for closing costs as well.

These fees include homeowners association costs, property taxes, attorney fees, transfer taxes, title insurance, etc. Altogether, closing costs can range from between 2% to 4% of the sale price.

Capital Gains Tax

If you sell a home for more than you paid for it, it’s considered a capital gain and may need to report on your federal tax return. However, many homeowners are eligible to exclude up to 250k of capital gain and 500k for married couples who file jointly.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

48 Ways to Speed up an Orlando Home Sale

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Accurate Home Evaluation- Contact an experienced Orlando Realtor to walk through and give you some ideas about what needs updating, repaired, or removed.

Repair damaged walls- patch and paint.

Replace damaged or cracked floor tiles.

Lubricate any squeaky doors.

Repair any sticky windows.

Repair any leaky faucets or toilets

Re-caulk sinks and tubs

Repair or replace any broken windows or screens

Replace nobs on cabinets [if needed]

Update your lighting fixtures [if needed]

Update blinds [if needed]

Replace faucets and showerheads, [if needed]      

Paint the interior in neutral colors

Paint exterior doors and window trim

Paint shutters

Repaint exterior [if needed]

Brighten- Remove heavy window treatments that block light

Wash all windows thoroughly

Increase the wattage of light bulbs

Replace dark lamp shades

Depersonalize- Remove family photos

Store knickknacks and trinkets

DE-CLUTTER Thin out the books on your shelves

Empty kitchen counters

Place out-of-season clothing in storage

Rent a storage unit to store unneeded items

Organize the pantry

Organize closets

Organize basement

Organize garage and shed

CLEAN- Clean all interior surfaces

Wash windows and doors

Air out and clean in cabinets and under sinks

Power wash exterior of house and sidewalks

Clean outdoor furniture

Clean porch lights of cobwebs 

HIDE SIGNS OF PETS- Remove pet smells

Hide pet food and bowls

Take pets for a walk during showings or send them to daycare during open houses

STAGE INSIDE- Reduce the amount of furniture in each room

Organize furniture to create seating areas and give each part of the home a purpose

Place fresh cut flowers around the home during showings

PRUNE AND LANDSCAPE Remove dead plants

Prune or replace overgrown shrubs

Fill open spots with seasonal flowers

Add fresh mulch to beds

STAGE OUTSIDE- Make sure the front porch/entryway is clean and inviting

Use outdoor furniture to create inviting spaces

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

How Long Will Your Home Last?

Posted on by Jenny Zamora


The overall structure of a well-built home can last for hundreds of years if properly maintained. However, certain components that make up the house won’t be as resilient. While the components made of concrete, brick, steel, and even wood can last hundreds of years other components that make up the house will have to be replaced or repaired after a certain amount of time.

These are some items you can expect to last for a good 100 years provided they were installed properly

  • Floors, Walls, Ceilings
  • Most Types of Insulation
  • Solid Wood Cabinets
  • Stone Counter Tops
  • Tile Floors
  • Solid Wood Floors
  • Steel Exterior Doors
  • Plumbing System
  • Electrical System
  • Brick Pavers

Smaller Appliances Won’t Last More Than A Decade

Smaller-sized household appliances like trash compactors, microwave ovens, and humidifiers have a relatively shorter lifespan, usually about 8 – 10 years. Larger appliances like your fridge, range, dishwasher, washer, dryer, and water heater can usually last up to 15 years before replacing them.

Here are some other household components that have a relatively short lifespan:

  • Roof (15-20 years).
  • Enamel Steel Sinks (5-10 years).
  • Alarm System (5-10 years).
  • Carpeting (8-10 years).
  • Smoke Detectors (8-10 years).
  • Faucets and Fixtures (10-15 years).
  • Garage Door Opener (6-8years).
  • Central Air Conditioner (10-15 years).
  • Asphalt (12 to 15 years).

It’s A Good Idea to Replace Some Items Early

It’s important to remember that these life expectancies are just averages and the actual life span of these items depends greatly on the quality of the appliances, proper installation, and the level of maintenance over the years. The amount of use, as well as climate and weather conditions, will also influence some of these items.  

Many homeowners choose to change out some components much sooner usually because they want to update the style or just want better appliances. Another reason a homeowner may want to update is for energy efficiency thus saving money on their energy bills.

Find Out How Old The Home Is

Homebuyers should always consider how old a home is when considering a purchase. Older homes will usually require more maintenance than newer home, especially if it hasn’t been updated in a while. Newer homes should last much longer before you have to do any serious repairs or updating.

Consult Your Orlando Realtor Before Making a Decision

Your Orlando Realtor has the skills and ability to do extensive research on any home to find out exactly what has been done to it over the years. You can also see if proper permits were pulled from the city if there were any major renovations.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

The Ways it Pays to Work with an Orlando Realtor

Posted on by Jenny Zamora


Are you thinking about buying or selling an Orlando home on your own so you can try to save yourself a few thousand dollars? If so, then this post is for you…

Go SOLO or hire an Orlando Realtor?

Some people believe that it’s no big deal to buy or sell a house on your own. They think it’s a pretty basic process to buy or sell a home in Orlando when in reality, there’s a whole list of things that need to happen throughout the process… for both buyers and sellers.

Here’s a checklist of the things your Orlando Realtor will help you with throughout the buying or selling process.

  • Determine how much you can afford to pay for a home.
  • Help check your credit report.
  • Price your existing home with a market expert.
  • Put existing house on market and decide where to advertise to reach best potential buyers.
  • Schedule appointments to show current home or to see new ones.
  • Host open houses to sell your existing home.
  • Find a new home for you with all the features you want.
  • Investigate school system as well as research neighborhoods and local amenities.
  • Analyze comparable home sales before making an offer on new home.
  • Meet home and pest inspectors for review of your current home.
  • Negotiate the terms of sale or purchase, including repairs or concessions.
  • Help you choose mortgage lender.
  • Help you obtain title insurance.
  • Help you obtain homeowners’ insurance.
  • Review your HUD [Closing Disclosure] statement and approve closing costs.
  • Coordinate your closing with lender and title company.
  • Conduct final walk-throughs with you of the home.
  • Review and sign closing documents.
  • Review homeowners’ association documents for new home.
  • Consider offers for current home.
  • Order the title search.
  • Get the signed contract to the seller.
  • Hire attorney or title company to complete closing research.
  • Hire surveyor to do a survey if needed.

Hiring an Orlando Realtor

I’m sure most of you who were going to sell on your own have probably changed your mind after reading this post. If you haven’t, then at least you’ll know what to expect moving forward with the process. If you aren’t sure and would like to speak to an Orlando Real Estate Broker, please don’t hesitate to call or text me at 407-902-7750. Or just visit us at
https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields