Tag: Jenny Zamora

8 Factors That Increase Your Orlando Home Value

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

 

Are you looking to buy an Orlando home and make a smart investment at the same time? Be aware of these important factors as identified by Realtor.com by analyzing millions of home sales throughout the country.

Having Fewer Bedrooms- As an Orlando realtor, I was surprised when I first read about this. Homes with 1 bedroom experienced an increase in appreciation of over 7% since 2012. Homes with 2 bedrooms have increased by 6.6%, 3 bedroom homes 6.3%, and 4 bedrooms was down to 4.9%. This just goes to show how popular down sizing has become in our country.

Bigger is not always better- especially when it comes to Orlando real estate. past 5 years have been a strong indicator that smaller homes  are more popular than ever among baby boomers as well as first time home buyers. Statistics show that homes smaller than 1,200 square feet have gone up by an average of 7.5% each year and larger homes [ over 2,400 sq ft] have only seen a 3.8% increase.

Open floor layout- These days everyone loves an open floor plan and so the more sought after something becomes, the value it will have. Homes in Orlando with an open floor plan appreciate an average of a whopping 7.4% per year. You can sometimes change your floor plan depending on if the walls you have to remove are load bearing or not. Upgrades such as granite counter tops and stainless appliances only experienced a 2-3% appreciation.

Having a view- Homes with a nice view across the country have increased between 4.9% – 7.9% over the past several years. If your fortunate enough to buy a home with a pretty view, you can always expect to enjoy a bit more appreciation on your home than your neighbor without one.

Modern design- With the exception of a small percentage of buyers who prefer older homes, newer more modern styled homes will always be more desirable for the majority of buyers. As a matter of fact, newer homes with modern designs have been rising an average of 7.7% per year. Bungalows are 2nd at 6.5%, traditional 5.6%, ranch homes 4.5% craftsman 3.7% and victorian at 2.2%.

Homes with 2 car garages-  Orlando homes that have space for 2 vehicles have had an increase of 6.4% per year Vs homes with a one car garage at 6% increase. And believe it or not homes with 3 car garages only saw an increase of 3.8% annually.

Being in the city- This was another one that surprised me a bit, but I guess I’m a little bias. Homes that were in or close to the city near mass transportation had an increase of a whopping 8.4% in value where as homes in the suburbs in good school districts and shopping areas only increased by 7.2%.

 

 

 

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9 Reasons Why Some Homes in Orlando Sell Faster

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Why is it that some homes in Orlando sell faster than others?

Have you ever wondered why some homes in Orlando sell much faster than others when they appear to be similar in the same neighborhood? The most obvious three reasons would be location, size, and condition. However, beyond that, some other factors can affect why some Orlando homes sell faster than others.

Great Curb Appeal- Top Realtors in Orlando say that the curb appeal of a home is the number one factor determining the amount of time that a home stays on the market. So if you’re selling a home in Orlando be sure that the front of your house looks the best that it can. Sometimes all it takes is a freshly cut lawn, manicured hedges, and a few colorful plants.

Homes ready to move-in- homes that are in “move-in ready” condition and are marketed as such usually sell much faster than homes in need of repair. Although there seems to be a million Orlando real estate investors buying fixer-uppers right now, the number of retail buyers is much higher.

Local School Districts- Homes that are located in A-rated school districts not only sell faster but also sell at a premium. For a young family, there’s a tremendous amount of value to them knowing that their kids will be going to the best schools. There’s it’s been researched that 1 in 5 Orlando home buyers would pay an additional 6 to 10 percent above their housing budget to be in a good school zone.

Professional Photography- As an Orlando realtor, it still baffles me how many listings I find on the MLS with horrible photos. If you want to sell your Orlando home fast for top dollar, make sure your agent uses top-quality photographs. Sometimes times, especially with our international buyers, people buy homes that they’ve never seen and all they have to go on is the photos. Also, homes in Orlando end up selling for more money when they have quality photos as opposed to homes with amateur-looking photography.

Have it staged elegantly staged- Homes that are tastefully staged sell 73% faster than homes that aren’t staged. If you can’t afford to have your home staged, you should at least make sure it’s decluttered and cleaned so it looks the best that it can for potential buyers.

Setting the listing price correctly- Homes that are priced at market value or just under have been proven to sell much faster than overpriced homes. Consult with your Orlando realtor to determine the correct listing price before putting it on the market.

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Hiring a top Orlando Realtor– Buy hiring an experienced Orlando real estate agent who knows your community like the back of their hand, you’ll not only sell your home faster and for more money, but you’ll have the peace of mind knowing there’s a licensed real estate professional in your corner looking out for your best interests. Be sure to check an agent’s reviews and track record before hiring them.

Video and virtual tours- One thing we do with every one of our listings is to create a unique video showcasing the property. We do this because everyone loves watching videos and we share it on social networks, on the blog as well as the website. We’ve also found it to be a great sales tool to show potential buyers.

Home features- In addition to being an Orlando realtor, I also invest in Orlando real estate, mostly to buy and resell. I can tell you from experience that homes with certain upgrades like granite countertops, upgraded fixtures, and quality flooring. However, you shouldn’t over-invest in these upgrades unless you know you’ll get a return on your investment.

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Encore Club Short Term Vacation Home For Sale

Posted on by Jenny Zamora


This is a gorgeous short-term vacation home located at the one and only Encore Club at Reunion Resort! Come see this Beautiful six bedrooms, six bathrooms smart home just minutes from Disney World.  It features beautiful granite countertops throughout, an in-ground pool, and a spa. Walk up the brick paver driveway to a double car garage and a beautifully landscaped design.  

Step inside and you will find two stories of fully furnished luxury from the floors to the vaulted ceilings. The open kitchen overlooks the dining space and living area with a relaxing pool view. A spacious family room gives plenty of room for the whole family to gather and spend some quality time together without feeling crowded. The covered lanai overlooking your private pool may quickly become your favorite place to sip morning coffee and relax.  

Encore Resort guests experience the Best of everything: relaxation, excitement, and luxury. The resort community pool features water slides, a splash pad, beach volleyball, and other beach-side amenities. The indoor recreation includes large screen TV, gaming systems, snack market, and arcade room.   Guest Services will assist with anything from scheduling transportation to catering as well as help you navigate the monthly resort community schedule.

Located within minutes to Disney World, Universal Studios, Seaworld, International Drive shops, and much more! Excellent opportunity to expand your current portfolio of short-term rental properties which can be self-managed or use the services available within the community.   If you’re looking to make a solid investment in a short-term vacation home, then this is it! With several bookings already in place for the remainder of 2018 and into 2019 this home purchase is a no-brainer.

Call or text 407-902-7750 to schedule a showing today or visit https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/

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The 7 Most Common Home Selling Mistakes

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

     

When Selling an Orlando Home Avoid These Common Mistakes

Setting the price on your own- The Orlando real estate market is constantly changing. Don’t think that you can determine what your listing price should be on your Orlando home just by going to Zillow. To come up with the true value of your home enlist the help of an experienced Orlando Realtor. Listing your home for the correct price from the beginning is crucial to a successful home sale. Failure to do so can result in longer than average days on the market which translates into less money in your pocket.

Pricing it too high from the beginning- If your home is overpriced you’ll get fewer showings because buyers looking for homes up to a certain price range may not even bother looking at yours. You will ultimately have to lower the price anyway to get it sold so make sure your listing price is realistically from the start.

Using an unusual listing price- When buyers use real estate search tools, they have to input ranges for example, “homes between $150,000-$200,000.” So if you set an unusual listing price, like $201,500.00 then you just might miss out on a potential buyer.

Overpricing on purpose- If you’re not in a rush to sell you may want to consider waiting to list your home until you are. Some homeowners adopt a strategy of listing it high thinking they’ll get the perfect buyer out of the blue that’s willing to pay a lot more than the home is worth because they’ve just fallen in love with the home and can’t live without it. This never happens! The fact is, the longer a home sits on the market the fewer showings you’ll get, and if it’s overpriced then don’t hold your breath for that fantasy buyer.

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Don’t get emotional- Remember, selling a home is just a business transaction so keep your emotions out of it. And never, ever walk around your house with a potential buyer, chances are you won’t have the same taste which can create an awkward situation for the both of you when they make a negative comment about your decor. Even if you get a low ball offer don’t take it personally. You should consider any offer a starting point for negotiation.

Not keeping it in good condition- Unless your home is a fixer-upper in need of major repair, make sure that it looks the best that it can. Having it clutter-free, clean and tastefully staged will go a long way in not only attracting more potential buyers, but also in getting top dollar and selling quickly.

Selling without a REALTOR- People who sell their homes “FOR SALE BY OWNER” stay on the market a lot longer than they should and sell for a lot less than those who enlisted the help of an Orlando REALTOR. By using an experienced real estate agent, you’ll have the peace of mind that someone’s in your corner looking out for your best interests as well as handling any problems that may arise throughout the transaction.

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Orlando Short Sales: Ask The Expert

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Orlando Short Sale Expert Q & A

In this post, we address the most common questions among consumers about short sales and how they differ from traditional sales. In the hot seat, today will be our very own Orlando short sale expert Jenny Zamora. She’s been successfully doing short sales since 2004 way before most people even knew what a short sale was.

Question: What’s the difference between a short sale and a traditional sale in a real estate transaction?

Jenny Zamora: In a short sale scenario, the home is sold for less than what’s owed on the mortgage. Short sales usually take much longer to complete because they need to be approved by the lender/mortgage holder. Sometimes there is more than one mortgage on the home which can sometimes complicate things if both lenders don’t agree.

Once the lender [s] have agreed to the short sale amount then it becomes a normal transaction with a contract signed by both the seller and buyer.

Question: How is a foreclosure different from a short sale?

Jenny Zamora: A foreclosure is when the lender files a lawsuit against the homeowner because they’ve failed to make several mortgage payments and haven’t pursued any other options such as a short sale, loan modification, or paying off the loan. As a result, the property is either sold at a public auction or taken back by the bank if the reserve hasn’t been met.

With a short sale, the homeowner is usually between 60 to 180 days behind on their mortgage payments because of some kind of personal or financial hardship. The property also must be worth less than what’s owed on the note for the short sale to be approved. Although a seller can’t profit from a short sale, many lenders often provide the sellers with relocation costs [usually around $3000] so they have money to help them move into another home.

A short sale however isn’t nearly as bad nor does it stay on your credit report as long as a foreclosure will.

Question: How long does it take to complete a short sale in today’s market?

Jenny Zamora: Short sales used to take 3 to 4 months and even longer to complete even if you followed up with the banks several times per week. As a result, many buyers were getting frustrated and walking away. This happened mostly because lenders just weren’t equipped to handle that many short sales at once and they had no systems in place to help streamline the process. These days, lenders have systems in place and more staff to help move the short sale processing along much faster resulting in much faster responses, typically within 2 to 3 weeks.

Question: Do you have any advice for someone wanting to purchase a short sale?

Jenny Zamora: 1st and foremost to make sure they’re dealing with a short sale specialist. If the agent isn’t familiar with short sales and how they work you could end up being disappointed and not getting your offer approved. Even though I’ve been doing short sales in Orlando since 2004, I’m constantly keeping up to date on the latest information when it comes to short sales, bank procedures, and guidelines.

An experienced short-sale Realtor knows how important it is to stay up to date. Just like there are specialists in the medical field, the same holds in Orlando real estate. We specialize in foreclosure prevention and short sales which is why our company is so proactive in staying educated and informed.

Question: What are the things that can most likely go wrong with a short sale transaction?

Jenny Zamora: Some things can happen with a short sale that is sometimes beyond our control. The most important thing to realize is that it’s ultimately up to the lender to approve or deny a short sale offer. This is another reason to work with a short sales specialist. If the bank comes back with a value that’s way too high, we have to do everything we can to dispute their valuation. Sometimes that means providing contractor’s estimates for repairs as well as a CMA on the home.

A traditional listing agent may not even be aware that you can dispute the bank’s valuation of a property and just let the deal fall apart.

Do you need a Realtor to short sale?

Question: Do you need a Realtor to short sell a home or buy a short sale?

Jenny Zamora: Yes and Yes… and I can’t stress enough to hire a Realtor with a lot of experience in short sales. On the seller’s side, the home needs to be listed by an agent as a requirement by the lender. You also want a strong negotiator in your corner.

As a buyer, it isn’t required to hire your own buyer’s agent. However, if you don’t then you’ll end up using the listing agent as your agent… I strongly recommend you hire your agent that way you have someone looking out solely for your best interests, especially when it comes to negotiating.

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