Category: Guest Blog Posts

House Flipping: 5 Things You Need to Know Before You Try It

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Many think of house-flipping as an ideal way to invest money and make a profit. With shows on television in recent years showing people flipping houses and finding success in it, it’s no wonder that people are finding the idea of flipping houses so appealing. However, there are several factors that someone should take into consideration before flipping houses.

Know What You’re Getting Into

Research everything that is involved with buying and selling a house. Get to know property laws and building codes involved with renovating a house. Be aware of any permits that may be needed before you jump in and go looking for places. If possible, talk to a friend or family member who has done it before to get their take on it. Having a mentor or someone to go to for advice will really help you know what you are getting into before you start.

Buy Low

Flipping a house can involve spending a lot of money to renovate the house so that someone will want to buy it. Profit is made when buying the house, rather than reselling it. If someone buys a house for just under the house’s market value, then spends thousands of dollars fixing it up, there will be no room for profit when they finally sell the house. Buying a house at a low price gives more margin for the flipper to work with.

Search Carefully

If the key to making a profit on flipping a house is buying low, then it’s vitally important to search for houses that sell at an extremely low price. Ask around, drive around, browse real estate ads, and look at foreclosure listings, but be sure to do the work needed to find the right house at the right price. Don’t take the first ugly house you see. Look around and even look at different house types in different areas. Compare prices as well as renovation needs and you’ll end up getting a home that you can actually make money off of. When it comes to flipping houses doing research is critical.

Know How Much a House Will Cost to Rehab Before Buying

It’s important to consider all the costs it will take to bring a house into selling condition again before buying. Getting a house inspection before buying ensures the flipper that they know exactly what is wrong with the house and what needs to be fixed. The home professionals who specialize in windows in Orlando suggest that you pay attention to problems with the exterior as well as the interior. Look for things like broken windows, damaged siding, roof issues, and more expensive projects like a crumbling chimney or cracked tile on the kitchen floor. If the renovation costs will be too much to make a profit, then move on to another house.

Utilize a Realtor to Actively Market a Flipped House

Realtors have access to MLS listings, and they know how to market a house to potential buyers. A house flipper could choose to see the house on their own, but they won’t have the resources that a realtor has. You may have the ability to turn an average house into a great home, but that doesn’t mean you will have an easy time selling. Hire someone who knows what they are doing so that you don’t lose out on money while the house sits on the market.

Flipping houses can be a great way to make a profit, but it’s important to approach it cautiously. It’s not as easy as it looks, and learning from others can go a long way. The key will be preparation… Many people jump into this business without knowing exactly what to do and they end up losing money. If you plan to make money flipping houses do all the necessary research and be cautious about all of your choices.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

New House: What to Check Before Moving Day

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

It’s an exciting time, with moving day to a new house creeping up. As you look forward to the new house, it’s important to have a checklist of things to do to prepare. Preparations can be extensive, so a checklist really helps. These tips will help you as you begin your new home adventure.

Call to Turn on the Utilities

It’s important to have the phone, electricity, and other services turned on. Though it sounds like a pain, calling to have them put into your name is relatively easy and straightforward, with a simple call-in to service providers serving as the activation for these services. Set aside perhaps an hour to make these calls.

Hiring a House-Cleaner

Having the house cleaned ahead of time makes a lot of sense. Working with the realtor to arrange the house cleaning makes sense if you set it up for the closing day, or just afterward, as you make the final transition from your previous house or apartment. Be sure to hire someone who can do the work thoroughly, and up to standard. Simple interviews don’t always indicate the level of a person’s work. Ask for recommendations through the realtor.

Change Address

Sending out change of address cards makes sense, and will aid in making the transition smoothly. You can either make these or buy them. These cards simply announce your new mailing address to friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances.

Having a Key Made

After closing, you are going to wish to have keys made, perhaps right away, to ensure that you have backup keys available to you to avoid locking yourself out.

Meet the Neighbors

Before you move into a new house, it’s important to meet the neighbors, so you may wish to set aside time before closing, to pop over with a friendly face and some good cheer. This relationship will be central to your life while you live there, so it makes sense to take it seriously.

Take Care of Formalities

You’ll need to have your address changed, and that is something you can do ahead of time with the postal service offering change-of-address forms that make moving a cinch. Ask for their moving package, which has the form and some coupons included in it. Make sure you are ready with your finances and mortgage payments from Orlando Mortgage Companies as well. You’ll want to have everything set up formally before you move.

Last, be sure to have a good attitude. Moving doesn’t have to be boring or exhausting if you have the right attitude and break the work into manageable chunks. Look into the formalities and change addresses at reputable places like Orlando Low Mortage Rates dot com to avoid a hassle later on.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

Summer Home: How to Keep Your Property Protected

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Summer homes are fantastic getaways while you’re using them, but they can be a constant source of anxiety and expense when you aren’t. Any number of little problems can turn into very big ones if you aren’t there to catch them, so being able to protect your vacation property is of paramount importance.

Protect Your Property from Thieves

One of the biggest concerns for vacation homeowners is protecting their properties from burglars and vandals. In this case, a security system can be a smart investment. It’s also helpful to choose a vacation property that is near-permanent residents, with a neighborhood watch program, or in a vacation community with its own security. While it might be tempting to choose a vacation home that lets you get away from it all, it also means it’ll take longer for police or security to respond to an emergency.

Protect Your Property from Fires

Fires are absolutely devastating, but they can often be prevented. Unplug appliances that won’t be in use while you’re away. Turn off energy vampires like water heaters, and you’ll even save money on your electric bill. Lastly, make sure that your furnaces or other heaters are properly serviced and maintained. Just because a heater is only used during vacation, doesn’t mean that it’s okay to neglect it; even underused furnaces need some love to keep them operating safely and efficiently.

Protect Your Property from Floods

Many people associate flooding with beach, or lake-front vacation homes, but they aren’t the only victims. Any area with below-freezing temperatures can suffer from leaking or burst pipes. Tree roots can also damage pipes and lead to leaks, blockages, and flooding. Don’t set yourself up for a nasty surprise– turn off the main water supply to the house before you leave to return to your regular home, and have a good plumber to call in case of emergencies.

You can’t foresee every emergency, but many of the worst ones are preventable. A good security system can prevent break-ins. If your vacation home is in Orlando, AC repair companies in Orlando can help keep your heating system safe and running smoothly all year round. Orlando service companies can help you keep your vacation home dry and your water flowing. By properly closing up your vacation home at the end of the season, and knowing who to call when things go wrong, you’ll be able to keep your vacation home problem-free.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

Creative Storage: Seven Alternate Uses For Your Garage

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

The garage is an ideal place in your home to store just about everything…except the car. Since it accounts for so much of your home’s usable space, it is almost a shame to dedicate all of that storage to an automobile when the car will store outside just as easily. If you are ready to reclaim your garage space, these seven alternate uses for your garage will give you ideas for making the best use of your own garage.

Spare Bedroom

If sleeping space is at a minimum in your home, consider converting all or part of your garage into a permanent or temporary guest bedroom. You can install a bed that folds up and attaches to the wall when not in use, giving you a quick fix when guests come over.

Home Business

If you have a home business, you can convert your garage into a spacious office or a place to store inventory and supplies for use in your business. Pegboard, wall-mounted bins and storage shelves can be easily added to give you ample room for your business needs.

WorkShop

Turn your garage into a full-time machining, auto body or woodworking space. Imagine being able to leave the tools of your trade set up and ready to use all of the time. When you have a few minutes to work on your project, everything is ready when you are.

Lawn, Garden, and Greenhouse Storage

Maximize your lawn space by putting your yard tools in the garage instead of a standalone tool shed. If you love to grow year-round, a climate-controlled garage equipped with grows lights can help you extend your garden growing season and even keep your family in greens all year long.

Game or Recreation Room

Take your games, pool table, and even home theater out of your home’s main living space and into the roomy surrounds of your garage. This might be your opportunity to get into activities you have not had room for previously.

Hobby Room

Most hobbies require plenty of room to store all of their components. Ask any knitter how much room they need for those seemingly small balls of yarn, or an archery enthusiast just how many bows and arrows he needs and the answer is clear – there is never enough room. Turn your garage into your hobby room and start thinking of the ways you can expand.

Workout Room

If your New Year’s resolution involves losing weight or getting fit, consider turning your garage into your own personal home gym, equipped with all of the weight lifting, body shaping tools you might need to achieve that resolution.

When you do decide on the best use for your garage, make sure it is secure by checking your doors, locks and hardware. Your garage door specialist and can help you keep your new room secure with energy efficient, sturdy locking garage door systems.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

Five Great Tips For Building Your First Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Building your first home is an exciting prospect in your life. You are sure to have visions of what your house should look like and the ideal location. As in any other major endeavor, look before you leap. Consider five great tips before you actually break ground.

Consider Your Location
When you scope out your location, don’t simply go by sentimental attachments or curbside appeal. Find out all of the details when it comes to property taxes and any special restrictions. You may discover that the lot is too small for the home you love or that you’ll be required to conform to a certain color code because it is part of a historic neighborhood. Try https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/ to find a spot that suits you.

Plan Out Every Detail of Your New Home
Once you have found the perfect location, you’ll want to start making your vision a reality. Planning is key if you’re going to get what you want. Bring your own sketches and suggestions to the table when you sit down with your architect. Make sure that your building team has a clear picture of what you really want.

Hunt Down the Great Deals
Once construction begins, you can start hunting for bargains at home improvement stores. From paint to fixtures, appliances, and door knobs, you can take advantage of sales. Tuck items away and have them at the ready when the time is right.

Think About Storage
While your construction project is underway, you are probably going to need to store some of your belongings. Relying on family and friends is a possibility. However, you don’t want to outwear your welcome. Consider renting a quality storage space until the new home is ready. You should also work on getting rid of clutter and becoming more organized.

Make Plans for Temporary Accommodations
There is a good possibility that your new home won’t be ready at the appointed time. Be prepared for that eventuality, whether you stay in a camper or rent an apartment. Don’t wait to the last minute and end up in a frenzied search for an extra bedroom.

As in all things, building a home will take preparation and patience. Get your ducks in a row and you’ll make the entire process less stressful. In the end, you’ll have the satisfaction of putting your heart into the living space of your dreams.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields