Category: Orlando Real Estate

7 Home Selling Mistakes

Posted on by Jenny Zamora


Selling A Home In Orlando is what we do best. To better serve homeowners getting ready to sell their home we’ve created this article which explains in detail some common mistakes that you should avoid.

 1- Set a listing price without proper research. 

Enlist the help of an experienced Orlando real estate agent to help you with this part. Your agent can provide you with a comparative market analysis. DO NOT rely on a website like Zillow to give you an accurate valuation of your house.

2- Listing the house too high.

Overpricing, your home from the start can cause your home to sit on the market for a lot longer than it needs to. You also run the risk of losing potential buyers who don’t even look at your house because at your home because it’s just a bit over their budget.

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Don’t listen to Realtors that use a strategy of going high on the price and gradually lowering it. This could end up costing you thousands in the long run.

3- Use an odd listing price

Home search tools give potential home buyers research ranges such as “homes between $150,000-$200,000”. If you were to list your home for an odd number like $202,457 you’d miss out on that entire pool of potential buyers.

4- Overpricing because you have all the time in the world

If you price your home at a ridiculous amount of money thinking eventually someone will come along and bite, you’re wrong. Your home has the best chance of getting under contract within the first few weeks of hitting the market. If you’re not ready to sell, then don’t list it.

5- Letting your emotions get involved

Don’t get offended if someone makes an offer on your home that’s way too low. Instead of getting upset, consider it a starting point for negotiating a potential deal.  At the end of the day, this is just a business transaction and everyone is just trying to get the best deal possible.

6- Expect that your home will sell itself

Even if it’s a hot market for sellers, you have to make sure your house looks the best it can. De-cluttering and cleaning are 2 good ways to start. Homes that are tastefully staged and effectively marketed sell much faster and for more money than homes that aren’t. Your Orlando realtor should be able to provide you with some tips on how to make your home look its best according to your budget.

7- Selling without A Realtor

A survey taken by the NAR [National Association of Realtors], homes that are sold “for sale by owner” not only sell for tens of thousands less than homes that are listed with a real estate agent, they also take much longer to sell.

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Orlando Home Buyer- 5 Step Plan of Action

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

The purchase of a home is a big deal for most of us. Let’s face it, this could be the largest purchase you’ll ever make in your lifetime…or at least one of them. There are so many things involved in the home buying process, which is why you have to be well prepared. The more prepared you are, the better your experience will be.

Working hard as an Orlando Realtor for the past 13 years, I can tell you first hand that when you’re well prepared to buy your first home the process will be much smoother and you can enter the home buying market with confidence instead of doubt.

Here are 6 excellent tips to help you make your home buying experience a good one.

1-Get your Financial Ducks In A Row

Priority #1 should be to get your finances in order. This means you need to start talking to lenders and shop for mortgages… or if you prefer, find a good mortgage broker to do the shopping for you. Either way, you’ll have to provide them with a lot of information in regards to income, expenses, etc. Basically, they have to prove that lending to you is a smart business move on their part…

The amount you pay in interest on your mortgage payment is largely determined by your credit score. It’s important to boost your score up as much as possible as this can translate to tens of thousands over the lifetime of your mortgage.

Start by requesting a credit report from the 3 big credit report companies so you know exactly what you’re working with. The Fair Credit Reporting Act states that these 3 companies provide you with a free credit report once a year upon your request. A good mortgage broker will be able to do all of this for you if you prefer. Once you get your credit report, look at it carefully for any errors. If your credit score is low, it might be in your best interest to work on improving it to get a better interest rate.

2-Get Pre-Approved

You wouldn’t go grocery shopping without knowing how much you can spend, would you? The best way to find out how much you can afford to spend on a house is by getting pre-approved by a lender. It’s extremely important to shop around for your mortgage to see which one offers you the best terms. The amount you get approved for and the interest rate is largely based on your credit score, income, expenses, etc…

Important: Pre-approval doesn’t mean full approval… If your employment status changes or your credit worsens between the time you got pre-approved and the time you actually try to buy a house, you may be in for a rude awakening. The best thing to do is start home shopping just as soon as you get the pre-approval letter in your hands.

3- Hire a Top Orlando Realtor

Some people think they can save themselves thousands by not using a realtor to buy their home. But if you want access to every home on the MLS as well as having someone in your corner looking out for you, then you should really consider hiring a realtor. The trick here is to hire an excellent realtor. It will definitely take some effort on your part but will be well worth it. It’s always best to talk to at least 2 or 3 agents on the first page of your Google results to see which one you feel most comfortable with.

4-Time your Move

Unless you’re staying at your Mom’s house, you’re probably renting a place. In order to avoid having to pay an additional 6 months on your lease, try timing the big move so that you won’t take too much of a hit. Talk to your realtor about your situation. They will be able to tell you how long it will take to get the sale finalized so you can get moved in.

5-Find Neighborhoods you like

Your realtor can prove invaluable in this instance. A good realtor will be well informed on all the surrounding neighborhoods in the area where you want to buy. Have a long sit down with your realtor so they know what all your needs want and dreams are for your new home…Once they have this information, they can find an area that meets your needs and fits within your budget.

By following these 5 tips, you’ll be on your way to a successful home buying adventure.

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New Listing in Hunter’s Creek!

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

If you have been looking for a single-family home with a Pool for under $300k in the Hunters Creek Community and you have been disappointed, then you MUST drop everything you are doing and schedule a showing today!

4451 Gwyndale Ct. in Hunters Creek FL is a gorgeous 2,068 square foot home in Excellent shape.

With not one, but two bonus rooms this spacious home can easily be converted into a 4 or even 5 bedroom home if needed.

Enjoy all of the great amenities the community of Hunter’s Creek has to offer. With top-rated schools, youth sports programs, and endless options for dining and entertainment, the kit’s truly a great place to raise a family.

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5 Things To Know When Buying Your First Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora


There aren’t many purchases in life that match up to buying your first home. It’s as exciting as it is unnerving… especially when you think about the huge financial commitment you are about to make for the next 15 to 30 years. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal to want to feel like you’re going to throw up at this point. Like labor pains for a woman about to give birth, this is something every first-time home buyer goes through….deep breaths…

Over the past 12 years as an Orlando Realtor, I’ve always tried to emphasize to my clients the importance of knowing exactly what they’re getting into before buying a home. These are some tips that will get you started in the right direction to becoming a successful home buyer.

1-Find Out About Your Credit

Unless you’re able to pay cash for your home, you’ll need to acquire financing to make your home purchase. If you’re new to this, the financial process can seem challenging and complex but if you have the right lender or mortgage broker helping you it should help make things run more smoothly.

Your mortgage options will basically center around your credit. You should educate yourself on what goes into making your credit score and how you can improve it prior to applying for a mortgage loan. Even more importantly you should find out what can cause a negative effect on your credit. I’ve had cases where a client has been pre-approved but when it’s time to close they get denied because of some recent purchase or payment.

If your credit needs help, then it’s time to start the credit repair process. By making sure your credit score is in decent shape you’ll be taking care of one of the biggest issues in the home buying process as well as have the best chance at getting a lower interest rate on your mortgage.

2-Get Pre-Approved

It’s imperative that you know how much you can afford to spend before going house hunting. Your lender or mortgage broker can give you an estimate on how big of a loan you can get approved for. Once you know how much you can afford or want to afford, you can then shop for homes within your price range.

3-Hire A Top Realtor

You could choose to start a preliminary search on your own through some of the national home listing sites like Zillow, but you’ll quickly discover that house hunting online can get exhausting real quick…especially if you’re not familiar with the area you’re looking in.

There are so many mistakes you can make and so much to learn that hiring an Orlando Realtor in your area is the best way to protect yourself and be more efficient in the home buying process. Be sure to interview at least 3 buyers agents in your area and get references from recent clients to make sure you get a good one.

4-Know What Kind Of House You Want

Houses come in all shapes, sizes, styles so it’s important to know exactly what you want in… condo? Single-family? Townhouse?. Take time to consider all the things you need and want in a home like the location, size, amenities, etc. Families with children usually start with their children’s needs like good schools, etc.

Once you know what you want then it’s time to have that conversation with your Realtor and get an idea of what your options are.

5-Set Up An Emergency Repair Fund

Owning a house is a lot more costly than most people realize. There’s no landlord to make repairs and you need to be prepared in case some big-ticket item needs replacing like an AC unit or a water heater. The best thing to do is have a few thousand set aside for just that and don’t touch it because sooner or later something will break…

By following these basic tips in your home buying process you’ll increase your chances of a positive home buying experience.

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Listing Agents Vs. Buyer Agents… What’s The difference?

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

When people think of Realtors, most believe it’s a person that works with the buying and selling of real estate. And for the most part, they’re right… However, real estate has many areas of specialization such as agents who specialize in working with buyers and others who work exclusively with sellers.

Understanding the difference is crucial when you are in home buying or home selling mode. Like the medical field where you wouldn’t go see a proctologist to get your head examined, you should hire a realtor that possesses the special skill set to accomplish your real estate goals.

Being a “Jack of All Trades and master of none” in the Orlando real estate world is not a good thing.

It’s pretty simple if you want to sell your home fast for top dollar… hire a listing specialist. If you’re looking for a home to buy then hire an experienced buyer’s agent.

Make no mistake…There’s a very big difference between A Realtor who works with buyers vs sellers!

Biggest Difference Between Listing Agents and Buyer Agents

Buying or selling a home will be one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your life so you want to hire a realtor who is a specialist in whatever you need.

Being an Orlando Realtor since 2004, I’ve met countless consumers that truly don’t understand the HUGE difference between buyers agents and listing agents. This can lead to disaster and cost you thousands of dollars if you hire the wrong agent for the job.

Most successful brokerages will have both types of agents available depending on the client’s needs. As a broker and Orlando listing specialist myself, I refer any buyers to one of our buyer’s agents because I know they are focused solely on finding houses for people just as my buyer’s agents refer any sellers to one of our listing agents. It’s about providing the best possible service to our clients according to their needs.

Skill Set of A Listing Agent

If you’re a seller, it’s crucial that you understand what skills a good listing agent should have to get the job done…

Pricing- Determining the correct value of a property is one of the most important skills a listing agent should have. Over-pricing a home can cause your home to sit on the market a lot longer than it should and cost you thousands. Agents that specialize in working with sellers will have a good sense of how to price the home correctly from the start.

Marketing- A true listing agent is a good marketer who knows what to do to get your home sold fast. This is a skill set that takes years to develop and must be updated constantly. The days of plopping down a sign in the front yard and taking out a few newspaper ads are over.

Properly marketing a home these days requires top-notch photography and well-thought strategy to achieve optimum results.

In addition to listing a home on the MLS, it should be marketed across all forms of media like social networks, video marketing as well as on the top property search sites in the nation where buyers most often frequent. Being unique and creative in the marketing of a home is essential in order to make your home stand out.

Honesty- Homeowners tend to get caught up in the emotional history of a home, especially if they’ve lived there for a long time. Sometimes homeowners have made certain “improvements” over the years which in their mind raised the value of the home. They may even think that their home is the nicest in the neighborhood and therefore should be priced the highest. This thinking is not realistic and your Orlando listing agent should have the courage to explain this to you. They should also be able to give you tips on how to make your home look its best for showings. Sometimes this can mean spending a little money, but well worth the investment.

A listing specialist should provide you with honest feedback on your expectations… even if it hurts.

Skill Set of a Buyers Agent

Knowing the area- When you’re looking to buy a home, you need to have as much information about the area as possible. Buyer’s agents should know their farm areas like the palm of their hand. How else can you advise someone on where to buy their dream home otherwise?

Knowing The Property Values- A buyer agent must have a firm grasp on what the homes are worth in the area. This is a calculation that varies from house to house and would include factors like school district, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, upgrades, etc.

Be A Skilled Negotiator- Once your Realtor has found a home you like, it’s time to start negotiating. Like shopping at a flea market, everything in real estate is negotiable and your buyer’s agent better be good at it or it could end up costing you thousands!

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Orlando or Kissimmee, come and talk with one of our specialists or visit us here https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/ or call 407-902-7750

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