Tag: Orlando real estate agents

Orlando Real Estate Still On The Upswing

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Although Orlando real estate still has one of the more affordable housing markets in the US, it’s evident that the price of residential real estate in “The City Beautiful” is steadily on the rise.

In the month of May, home buyers in Orlando spent an astounding 18% to 20% of their income on the mortgage payment. I don’t know about you, but this sounds really high to me. Especially, when you consider that at the height of Orlando’s low point in 2010 [after the big crash of 2007] buyers were only spending 10% to 12% of their income on the mortgage payment. What’s wrong with people??!!

Have you ever heard the joke about how Johnny’s dad wouldn’t buy him a $200 bike because of an $80,000.00 mortgage. Although it would be perfect to include in this post, I can’t write about it here because of the adult content that it contains, but if you’re over 18, you should Google it!

There’s nothing wrong with people [for the most part] per say. It’s that they have no choice but to do what needs to be done in order to provide food and shelter for their families. If that means having to spend a nice chunk of their income to keep a roof over their heads, then so be it! We can only do what the market permits us to do.

Check out these numbers; the median home price in Orlando back in 2010 was $1000,000 and just 2 months ago [June 2014] it was up to $165,000. I’m not sure what that exactly means but… Holy Cow! That’s a big increase! 

Orlando Real Estate Market Keeps On Growing and it Shows No Signs Of Slowing.

Even with this huge increase, affordability levels are still relatively low when you look at historical averages. This means that we’re not done growing yet, even if mortgage rates go up a point. Here’s how it works; If mortgage interest rates would go up a point, let’s say from 4% to 5% on a thirty-year mortgage, it would mean that homeowners instead of spending 18% to 20% of their income on a mortgage payment, they would be spending 20% to 22% on their mortgage. According to RealtyTrac this also includes property taxes.

Consider Renting Over Buying

Orlando is said to have one of the most affordable housing rates for buyers in the nation. However, for renters it’s ranked as one of the LEAST affordable places to live in the US… Hold on to your hats! Renters in Orlando spend an average of 34% of their income on paying the rent! Now that’s crazy right?…  Not always.

There are many advantages to renting as opposed to buying a home in Orlando. Here are a couple of advantages of renting over buying.

You don’t have to qualify for a mortgage- Probably the worst part of buying a home is qualifying for it. Unless you have impeccable credit and have never missed a payment in your lifetime, chances are whatever lender you try to get a mortgage with will make you jump through more hoops than a show dog with no guarantees that you get approved. If you rent a home, this is a non-issue and you don’t have to worry about plopping down 20% at the closing table

There’s no commitment- When you commit to a mortgage, you agreed in writing to pay back the entire amount of the loan to the lender or they reserve the right to foreclose on you putting your credit and probably your spouse’s credit at risk. When you rent, you’re only committing to the term of the lease and you can easily pack up and move on. This is why renting is especially attractive to people who are uncertain of there future because of a new job or some other circumstance that would cause them to have to move.


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Hiring The Right Realtor – Video

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in the Orlando area, it can be overwhelming in these tough and confusing economic times.

Finding the right Orlando real estate agent to help you through the maze is critical.

Look no further! Our proven track record, experience, a record of excellence, and knowledge are your keys to a great buying or selling experience.

We will be with you every step of the way guiding you on this journey, and we’ll do it on your schedule.

We will be your advocate and adviser,  and our strong negotiating skills will take the stress out of what can be an uncomfortable part of the purchase experience call us today and give us the opportunity to earn your trust and your business.

Our company specializes in getting homes sold for the most amount of money in the least amount of time. Our team consists of some of the most successful real estate agents in Orlando. We are equipped to handle any type of real estate transaction… any price, condition, or situation.

Not ready to speak to a realtor yet?  No problem, check out our Home Valuation Tool to find out how much your house is worth.  And if you’re looking to buy a home, then try our home search tool and see all the available properties that are actively for sale in Florida.

Hiring The Right Realtor – Video

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Orlando Home Values Are In The Eye Of The Beholder

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Real Estate Is Not An Exact Science…Not Even Close! 

The truth is that there are many variables involved and I’m not just talking about physical variables like granite countertops and travertine floors. I’m talking about other aspects like the motivations and the desires of both sellers and buyers. It can be very difficult to account for more value or less value when you bring the human element into the mix. Sure, it’s easy to pull up data for value trends in a certain area, but you have to blend that data with variables that are present in each situation.

Working as a Realtor in Orlando since 2004, I realized long ago that real estate is about people and every person is different with different needs and different motivations. Orlando home values can differ drastically depending on who you’re talking to.

These days most home buyers know exactly what they want. What may be considered valuable to one person may be viewed as a negative to another. Does the home provide a specific need for the new buyer? A perfect example of this can be a home with a pool. Living in Orlando especially, I personally place tremendous value on having a pool in the backyard so that my family and I can cool off on those hot summer days.

However, there are people who prefer to not have a pool. Having a pool for them could represent having more things to maintain and more expensive or maybe they have small children who can’t swim. To these people, having a pool is a huge negative and they may not want to even consider looking at a home with a pool.

Other examples that can influence buyers with a specific need may include having an in-law suite, one-story or two-story floor plans, a master on the main floor, a handicapped-friendly floor plan, etc. Some may place the quality of the construction and the home’s design at the top of the list.

Elements outside of the home itself like living in a specific school district, being close to public transportation, or having a pond view can also increase or decrease the appeal of a home depending on what the homeowner is looking for.

People will always be willing to pay more for what they perceive to be valuable to them in their lifestyle. A Home’s Value has to be measured in two different ways: On paper – what the data says and, how well it will serve the buyer and their needs.

Appraisal Value Is The Only Thing That Matters To Lenders

I’ve seen single-family homes in Orlando with bowling alleys, batting cages, and even basketball courts…indoors! However, while a house may contain all these luxurious features, the problem is that these items are considered to be over improvements and just don’t add any “dollars and cents” value to the home.

Although a buyer or a seller may place more value on a home for personal preferences, the lenders are only interested in the appraised value. Attempting to challenge an appraisal in these situations is close to impossible. Underwriters typically do not like to think outside of the box.

 

 

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Value of Lake Properties Driven by Residential Construction

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

A substantial increase in residential and business construction rolled in 3.5 percent more to Lake County’s tax map. This is the second consecutive year of rising in values after a number of years when the economy was in depression.

Higher tax collections

According to Carey Baker, a property appraiser, this is the first instance when the values of single-family residential homes in Lake cities increased. Orlando realtors have calculated that new residential, as well as business construction, added an excess of $295 million when it comes to taxable values. This equals a variation of 89 percent compared to 2013. In 2014, the county witnessed a rise of 1,500 new properties earmarked for residential use.

The biggest single construction in the new category was the Chet Lemon commissioned by The Big House. The 162,000 square foot built-up area in Tavares was funded by the former baseball player and contributed a massive $7.6 million in taxes.

Gigi Lemon, the wife of Chet Lemon, said that the Lane Park Cutoff facility attracts a substantial number of visitors with tournaments and youth events. The Big House opened its gates in February 2013. Lemon is surprised by the response. She believes that people are impressed by the facility.

Near all-around growth

All the Lake cities with the exception of Leesburg saw a rise in their taxable values. Maximum growth was seen in the south Lake region. The group was led by Groveland, with a 14 percent rise, trailed by Minneola which rose 9 percent. Clermont followed third with 7 percent.

According to Orlando real estate agents, it is clear that, as was in the past, the south Lake leads the county when it comes to growth. The drivers of this growth are the people who are employed in Osceola and Polk. They are relocating to South Lake due to a number of attractive factors like a nice community and affordable housing. The icing on the cake is the quick accessibility to jobs in cities.

According to Orlando realtors, Leesburg suffered a slight drop in values-about 0.19 percent due to the relatively slower construction growth and weak values when it came to single-family homes.

There is, however, a glaring problem. Baker pointed to the $91.5 million reductions in taxable value of the tangible property which businesses pay related to equipment including machinery and computers. The county saw a tax reduction of $77.1 million due to such taxes.

 

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Outer Edges of Orlando Enjoys Strongest Recovery in Home Prices

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Residential property prices at the edge of central Orlando have revived the most, according to listing agents in Orlando. Pockets of growth are being seen in Paisley, Montverde, and Eustis. All three come under Lake County and have exhibited price gains of up to 30 percent since February 2013. A few localities of St. Cloud and rural regions of the southern part of Osceola County also showed an uptick in prices.

Maximum gains in a few areas

The total increase in value of all the four counties in the metropolitan area of Orlando was 20 percent in the same period. Lawrence Bellido, an agent of Keller Williams, one of Orlando’s real estate companies, said that the above-mentioned areas are showing the maximum recovery since they were hit the hardest. He specifically mentioned Montverde’s Bella Collina and Harmony, where not a single property was sold at one point in time.

Gains not equal

Orlando has exhibited unequal gains in price when one community is compared with another. To give an example, the growth areas located in the southern borders of St. Cloud have exhibited gains of approximately 30 percent in 2013. In contrast, prices have risen only half of that number in older localities of St. Cloud, where a few homes were constructed in the 1920s.

Similarly, older localities of Kissimmee, Oviedo, and Casselberry saw an appreciation in price by approximately 15 percent in 2013. The numbers reveal an excellent recovery by a majority of standards but are still trailing behind the region’s other parts. Prices in Apopka and Mount Dora areas escalated by 11 percent. In contrast, home values in the Winter Park locality rose 8 percent in the same period.

Foreclosures

A possible reason for prices getting increased quicker in a few neighborhoods might be foreclosures. The foreclosure phenomena hit hardest in areas that are newly developed as the house owners in 2007 had negligible or no home equity. These owners were more prone to enduring short sales. Lenders incur short sales when they give their assent to sales prices that are lower than the mortgage. Values plunged to the maximum in these foreclosure-scarred neighborhoods, so they bounce-backed quite rapidly.

According to Mike Timmeran, President, MJT Realty Economic Advisers, the markets where prices rose the most were also those that fell severely. Buyers, however, can be very confused about these wide swings, presently. It will be very difficult for them to assess the correct market value of a property.

 

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