Tag: Orlando Real Estate

Selling Your House? Smarten Up The Exterior For The Best First Impressions!

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

As we all know, first impressions are everything. And this is never truer than when we are talking about houses. If you are planning to sell your house then the single most important thing that you can do to impress viewers is to smarten up the exterior. When a potential buyer visits to carry out a viewing, they will be immediately put in a favourable mood if they like what they see on the approach. Here are some great ideas for making the outside of your house win prospective purchasers:

Tidy Up the Driveway

Driveways often get a little scruffy with weeds growing through concrete or between paving slabs. Head out with a load of weed killer and blitz the unwelcome weeds. Then, tend to the flowers and plants that are meant to be there. Finish off by giving the whole area a good sweep, and then using a pressure washer to thoroughly clean the driveway. Putting a few pot plants along the driveway will help to add a splash of colour to the approach to your house.

A Fresh Coat of Paint

You’ll be amazed at the amount of difference a fresh coat of paint to the exterior of the property makes to the overall look. Old paint that is faded, stained or peeling off sends out all the wrong messages to a buyer, but a freshly painted house suggests that you take as much care with the inside of the house as you do the outside. It will also help set off the windows and doors, and generally bring the whole house together. If you’ve a head for heights then you can paint your house yourself quite easily, but if you’d rather leave it to the experts then call a professional painter and decorator in – it shouldn’t take them long, it won’t cost you much, but the difference will be massive. Your prospective buyers will head to the front door and wait there until you answer it. So, make sure the door is freshly painted so that it looks nice and smart (you might as well paint the window frames too while you’re at it!) and make sure that the doorbell works properly. You might even want to consider getting a new front door if yours is past its best.

Window Boxes

Window boxes are a beautiful addition to the front of any home – they add a splash of colour and make the whole place look far more homely. Choose plants that don’t grow too high otherwise you will risk obscuring the view from the windows. Plant up a window box for each front-facing window, and put it up using secure brackets that won’t weather or deteriorate. Choose a mixture of colours for added impact.

Smartening up the outside of your house is a great way to make sure that your potential buyers get the ‘wow factor when they come to see your house for the first time. Your next step is the small task of sorting the interior out!

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Foreclosure Drop Experienced in Orlando

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Foreclosure of residential houses in Orlando has shown a marked decrease. This started from the time when the state began to expedite foreclosures as per the new law that was implemented from July 1 this year. According to reports by RealtyTrac Inc, foreclosure filings have dropped by at least 50% as compared to the past year. The total number of houses in the Metro Orlando area which received their first foreclosure notice fell to 678. This is effectively a fall of 63% compared to the previous year. This trend that is experienced in Orland real estate is repeated across Florida. A statewide report published in July by the Florida Supreme Court states that cases related to foreclosure fell 75% when compared to July 2012.

Reasons for the drop

It is unclear if the drop is the result of a new law formulated to streamline the ability of the lender to repossess immovable structures that are saddled with mortgage payments long overdue. According to one foreclosure attorney, this dramatic fall is the result of banks and mortgage service providers being unable to provide documentation as proof that they are in control of the loan as demanded by the new legislation. As per the attorney, the new law was written in such a way that it was almost indecipherable to the lending industry as well as to the courts.

Mortgage companies are taking the only action they can confidently opt for – either modify the mortgage or sell the concerned house as a short sale. Orlando short sales are said to occur when an immovable property or a house is sold for less the amount of money owed on the structure. The incidence of short sales has been increased throughout Florida in the past few months.

Decrease in foreclosure filings

Foreclosures are markedly decreasing. In Metro Orlando, approximately 2,415 houses gave some variety of foreclosure filing. The August report shows that such filings have decreased by 27% when compared to the previous year’s August report and also a 11% decrease from July this year. The Orlando metropolitan area is made up of 3 regions: Orange, Seminole, and Osceola. According to RealtyTrac Vice President, it is premature to assume that the law is not functioning as it should. Although foreclosure activity is down for the Orlando area, the courts have approved an increase in number of foreclosure sale notices as well as auction notices in the metro region. One way of knowing that foreclosure notices will be filed is that the concerned banks have begun to start the search and preparation work important to start the process of foreclosure.

 

 

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Demystifying the Short Sale Process

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

 

For those buyers facing an imminent threat of foreclosure, a short sale is a viable option indeed. Through a short sale, the seller eliminates the debt burden that comes with his value- depleted property that no longer attracts enough of a sale price to pay off the loan in full. Scores of homeowners saddled with underwater properties have taken the help of short-sale negotiators to get a reasonable price for their homes in recent times. If you are looking for advice and information on Orlando short sales, read on. 

 

Getting the Short Sale Package Approved

 

This is the first step in your Orlando short sales process. Your lender needs to approve your sale of the property at a price that is less than your total debt due to him. To do this, he needs to be sure that you cannot afford to pay off his loan from other sources (e.g.: your savings).  The first step of the short sale is for you to present a short sale package to the lender. This package outlines an overview of your finances and your credit score along with a hardship letter and the home’s documents indicating the purchase price. Once the lender is convinced that a short sale is your best option, he approves the process.

 

Listing the Property

 

Now it is time to present the property in the best possible way so that you can attract the most number of buyers. Working with reputed Orlando realtors who are also experienced short-sale negotiators is a great advantage at this stage. The realtor has an understanding of the market and the skill to present your property as a good buy to prospective homeowners. Locate a realtor who has a deep insight of the current Orlando real estate market so that you can price your home right. The Orlando realtor will also ensure that your home appears in all the right listings so that it is highly visible in the marketplace.

 

Sell the Home and Get Rid of Your Debt


Once your home gets an offer you like, it is time to start processing the short sale. Your lender may require several documents to process the actual sale. Here too, an experienced Orlando short sale realtor can prove to be of immense help. Collect all the documents and present them to your lender for approval of the proposal. Once he gives his approval, the sale can be finalized and closed. In some situations, the lender may reject the proposal.

 

If this does happen to you, don’t give up hope. Ask your lender to give the reasons for rejection in writing. There may be some negotiations that you can do with the buyer/ lender with the help of your Orlando realtor to ensure that the proposal is tweaked to meet his approval.

 

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7 Tips To Furnish A Small Living Room

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Houses are getting smaller and smaller by the day, at least in packed-up urban spaces. Now, this does impose some limitations on what you can and cannot do with your living space but it certainly does not mean that your small apartment should look any less beautiful than its larger suburban counterparts. Apart from the architectural and décor elements, your choice of furniture will determine the aesthetic appeal and functional utility of your space. If you are buying lounge furniture for a rather cramped living room, here’s what you might want to keep in mind.

Use a lighter color palette

This is one of the easiest ways to give your room an open, airy feel. White, off-white, taupe, and pastels are all neural colors and are easy to mix and match. Light hues also reflect light to make your living room look more spacious. To avoid monotony, use different textures, fabrics, and patterns. Even a self-print helps add depth to the space.

Don’t waste the corners

Every inch of space is precious and you do not want furniture that takes up unnecessary space. Corner modular help you make use of corners that would otherwise be rendered redundant with an odd vase sitting in them to fill up the emptiness. Modulars also give you more seating capacity and leave a more open area in the center of the room.

Choose multipurpose furniture

 

If your living room is small, chances are that the rest of your home is too. Maximize your space by opting for furniture that serves a dual purpose. For example, the ottoman could have underlying storage and the sofa could be pulled out into a double bed. This also enhances the utility of the space, especially if you have to entertain house guests.

Pick furniture with legs

 

Upholstered furniture does give your house a rich, cozy feel but it is also bulky and space-consuming. Light, minimalistic pieces, on the other hand, give an unobstructed view of the floor, thus making the space look larger.  The key is to choose furniture that “looks” light, irrespective of its actual size and weight.

Keep the lines simple

You may be tempted to buy that semi-circular contemporary sofa but can your space really accommodate it? When you are short on space, always choose furniture with clean, straight lines that fit easily against the wall.

Play up the vertical

We often forget that our room also has a vertical element to it and it is surprising how this can be used to give the illusion of a more expansive space. Emphasize the vertical lines by using striped curtains that run from floor to ceiling or a printed/textured blind against a blank wall.

Be careful about the coffee table

 

If you must have a coffee table pick one that is inconspicuous and doesn’t obstruct the view of the room. A small-sized table with clean lines and perhaps a glass top is any day recommended over a large blocky game table. Narrow benches also make for wonderful center tables as they are functional and take up minimal space.

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Discover Exactly What Happens In The World Of Land Surveying

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Land surveying, in its simplest form, will involve both mapping and measuring a certain environment by using specialized equipment, technology, and of course, mathematics. However, don’t be fooled into believing that surveyors solely deal with land, as they measure a vast array of objects and environments. These include on land, in the sky, on the bed of a river, sea, or ocean and there have even been surveyors who have traveled and resided in bitter and dangerous conditions in order to measure the polar ice caps.

What Tasks Does a Surveyor Undertake?

The vast majority of land surveyors will fulfill their roles both in the office and out in the field. Whilst a surveyor is out in the field they will typically use some very high-tech equipment, including Robotic Total Stations, GPS, and scanners to be used both terrestrially and aerially. This equipment will then be used to make certain calculations, map out an entire area, and also to take photographs. Working in the office doesn’t mean the equipment used will be any less high-tech and the most common software used in the office is Autocad. This software will allow a surveyor to map out measurements, as well as create plans and drafts.

There are also a vast array of projects that a surveyor will work on, including mining exploration, huge construction projects, land subdivision and even the building of tunnels. This means that a surveyor’s working week could be extremely varied and they may need completely different equipment to perform these different tasks. A surveyor can also be viewed as an expert in the field of understanding and determining measurements and land size. In fact, architects, developers and engineers will often turn to surveyors for advice and further information on certain projects.

Spatial Science

Spatial science is closely related to the work that surveyors complete, as well as Geospatial science. This will actually help a surveyor to understand environmental relationships with the surrounding community and this information can help a professional to predict certain patterns or trends within the set environment. One of the most commonly used spatial science technologies in the modern-day (by everyone and not just surveyors) is Google Maps and the use of GPS. Spatial science can also be used to predict future changes to the environment or worrying trends, such as natural disasters, including floods, tsunamis, etc.

Surveying is Probably More Important than You Think

We are probably more dependent on surveying than we actually think – surveyors will develop land, and they will help to plan and design roads, landscapes, and many essential utilities we typically take for granted. Surveyors will also work very closely with many other professionals, including architects, engineers, and those working in planning and geology. In fact, the person to generally arrive first at a construction site will be a surveyor, as they will need to map out the land and provide measurements, which will be used by the other professionals. This information will allow an architect to get the best use out of any land or a landscape, whereas an engineer can safely and accurately plan the structures that will become part of the landscape.

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