Tag: Orlando Realtors

3 Things To Help Orlando Realtors Stay Positive

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

With all the New Year’s resolutions that have fallen by the wayside, it’s time to get up, brush yourself off, and get refocused. Being a real estate professional is not easy and can be mentally as well as physically demanding, especially when that deal that you worked so hard for just fell apart. That’s why it’s very important to implement healthy habits that will help you to perform at the best of your ability. I’m not talking about spending two hours a day at the gym or going on an extreme no carb and no fat diet. As a matter of fact, if you make changes that are too extreme, then you are sure to fail miserably. What I’m suggesting is to implement small changes to your habits that you can do consistently.

Many years before I became an Orlando realtor  I was a personal trainer. I used to design routines for people who either wanted to lose weight or to get into better shape than they already were. Being a trainer, I learned that everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for the next person which is why they call it “personal training”.   However, today I want to share a few tips and tweaks that real estate agents can use in their day-to-day lives to become healthier and more active.

1. Eat Smaller Meals- How many times have you gone out for lunch and ended up eating too much to the point where you just want to take a nap afterward? It’s a pretty bad feeling, especially when you have work to do! The last thing a potential client wants to see is their realtor yawning at a listing appointment. If you’re like me and have a big appetite, then drink a big glass of water before ordering your lunch. This will make you less hungry and cause you to order a smaller portion.

2. Walk Faster and More Often- I’m not saying you should speed walk to your listing or showing appointments. What I am saying is that when you do walk, walk a bit faster than you normally do whenever possible like walking to the copier, going to the bathroom, walking through the supermarket, etc. Also, take a nice long walk after dinner. Not only will it help your digestion and burn some calories but walking helps you to clear your mind and think more clearly. Whenever I’m frustrated about something or have a problem that needs solving, a good long walk always seems to get my wheels turning.

3. Maintain A Positive Attitude- Working as an Orlando realtor, I know firsthand how hard it can be to maintain a positive attitude when things just aren’t going the way you would like them to. Dealing with clients that are upset about their shot sale falling apart or buyers that you’ve already shown 20 houses to decide it’s not a good time to buy, etc. Being a realtor means that you regularly encounter negative people and it’s important that you not let the negativity affect you and your job. Try thinking about 2 or 3 things that you are appreciative of like how well your kids are doing in school or that wonderful vacation that you’ve been planning with your family.

As real estate agents, it’s crucial that we maintain a positive attitude if we want to be successful. The tips that I’ve shared with you today have served me well over the years and will hopefully help you too!   https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/

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Smart Homes In Orlando, The Wave Of The Future

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Thanks to technology, buying and selling smart homes will soon be the norm for Orlando real estate agents. This week Google made a $3.2 billion dollar investment in a company called Nest Labs, a company that designs and makes smart smoke detectors and smart thermostats. It’s amazing, smart technology is becoming available in just about everything you can think of. And if it’s not today, it will be tomorrow. With an estimated $19 trillion dollar market ahead, smart technology is like a locomotive that just can’t be stopped.

How Will Increasing Smart Home Technology Affect Realtors?

Agents that are able to embrace and love smart home technology will have the biggest advantage. The best way to do this is to learn the technology and practice using it whenever you get a chance. The way it usually works is that everything can be controlled by your smartphone through an app. You can now control things like the thermostat, window blinds, lights, locks, etc.

Real estate agents that are able to easily show their potential clients all the features of the smart technology while showing the house will have a definitive edge. Agents that are unfamiliar with the software won’t be able to show a buyer how to use it and a situation like this could possibly cost them a client.

Smart buyer’s agents will research the technology and find out what people love about it. There are many benefits that smart homeowners have like making sure the doors are locked from 800 miles away or being able to close the blinds because they forgot. Real estate agents should be able to educate their potential buyers about all the benefits that they will enjoy by living in a smart home.

Some buyers will be turned off by new technology, especially the 55+ age group. With these clients, a realtor will really have their work cut out for them in trying to sell them a smart home. The best thing to do here is to simplify things for them by making a simple guide that’s easy to use and understand. No one likes to feel less smart, especially to a house that they will be living in.

Even though I’ve only shown a handful of smart homes myself, it’s obvious that smart technology will continue to grow and get more and more popular in the world of real estate. Orlando realtors that are willing to embrace whatever comes their way, will be the most successful agents. Just like one of my very first mentors used to say ” If you’re going to make it in the world of real estate, you have to take what the market gives you”.

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Central Florida’s Northern Phase Construction Gains Speed ahead of Launch

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

As we slowly approach May 1, the construction of the new SunRail railway project is looking to shift into another gear, with increased progress being made in its second phase. It is believed that the Florida Department of Transportation will look to provide yet another update on the status of the project to the Volusia County Commission on March 13. Design options for the northern Phase 2 that will run from DeBary to DeLand is said to be the topic of discussion. The cost of constructing the northern phase is estimated at approximately $60.5 million, a significant percentage of the cumulative cost of $1.3 billion.

Bright prospects

The reason why so much has already been invested into the SunRail project is that it is said to spur employment within the communities of Southern Florida, creating over 261,000 jobs. Moreover, it is also estimated that the project will create an economic turnover of $8.8 billion over a thirty-year period from when SunRail becomes fully operational. The project will also provide commuters with a reliable alternative to using Interstate 4, which is to undergo its own overhaul beginning at the end of this year.

Realtors in Orlando believe that residential projects around the SunRail line are likely to get a boost. According to Orlando real estate agents, an increase has been seen in the demand for houses near the SunRail project. It means that infrastructural projects of this kind not just help the residents but also aid the real estate market.

The first phase of SunRail spans 31 miles and is said to become operational in under two months. The phase includes twelve different stations between Sand Lake Road, Orange County and DeBary in Volusia County. It also moves 17.2 miles southwards from Sand Lake Road toward Poinciana in Osceola County, passing a further four stations. Moreover, there is also a 12-mile alignment in the north that will require building a brand new station beside the Amtrak station located in DeLand.

Federal funding of $63 million

President Obama’s fiscal budget for 2015 saw the second phase of the project receives approval, with approximately $63 million in federal funding allocated to it. While the budget is yet to be approved by Congress, there is certainly much to look forward to for SunRail advocates.

In related news, the Lake Mary SunRail station is still awaiting approval on a request for an additional $30 million in federal funding for its north alignment. Nevertheless, the project still seems to be making progress despite the fact that designs have not yet been drawn up.

A number of train tours have been planned to promote the SunRail experience, which will be held in the first phase. There will also be free train rides available between April 15 and 18, and 21 and 24.

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West Orange County May See No New Residential Constructions for a Year

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

The School Board of Orange County may just cause all residential construction in the area to halt indefinitely. The board wanted to erect a new relief high school at the County Road 535, on Beck Property and was denied permission for the same by Orange County.

The School Board and Orange County entered into a dispute in the last week of February, when the Board shelved the impact fee payments of a developer, Windermere Development Co., of the west Orange County area indefinitely.

School Board tables impact fee payment

The payment, amounting to $27,000 was due on February 25, to be paid to the board as impact fees for the development of project Canopy Oaks – a 59-units residential complex to be built by Mason Simpson and his development company Windermere.

Orlando realtors hold the proximity of Canopy Oaks to the site where the new relief school is supposed to be erected, one of the primary reasons for the dispute. It was confirmed by the School Board later when a board member revealed that the board wanted to wait for the disputes over its petition in the circuit court.

The board had filed the lawsuit in December 2013 and insiders say it may take up to a year to reach a settlement. Joie Cadle, member of the board said the West Orange High School was already crowded and needed a relief. The lack of a proper relief plan was one of the reasons why Cadle and other members of the five-school board voted in favor of tabling the impact-fees payments.

Is the School Board trying to jeopardize construction in Orange County?

Cost of the Canopy Oaks project has been projected around $30 million and Orlando real estate industry-insiders are worried about the longer-term impacts of such a decision by the board. With Winter Garden regulators halting the processing of Canopy Oaks project’s engineering application, Mason Simpson stands to lose some big bucks.

According to Nathan Cross, the president of the Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando, the situation is more grim than what realtors in Orlando have been contemplating. According to him, Lake Nona and West Orange were the only two places conducive for new construction projects in the Orange County and the School Board essentially cut down one of the them, for at least a year.

Chairman of the School Board, Bill Sublette, however, has something else to say. Sublette, who voted against shelving the impact-fee payments, says the board doesn’t intend to stop construction projects in Orange County. The board just wants to halt the project till the location of the new relief school is finalized.

The circuit court is scheduled to meet in April for mediation on the lawsuit.

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Crescent Central Station Reviewed by City Council for Transportation Impact Fee Credits

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

The Orlando City Council met on February 24 to take another look at the high-end apartment complex in downtown Orlando that backs up the neighborhood’s busiest Sun Rail station. The transit-based multipurpose development seeks to win the transportation impact fee credits from the City Council. This would help site owners Rida Development Corp. save some big bucks.

Former site owner Rida to save over $2 million

Word is that Houston-based developers, Rida would save $275,839 if the Orlando City Council agrees to collect the fees in credits. Rida was the owner of the site at the corner of Livington Street and Orange Avenue where the apartment complex is now being constructed. Its ownership of the site dates back to 2008 when the site was known as the Pizzuti Block.

The main Lynx Central Station and Sun Rail commuter station of downtown Orlando is located in close proximity of the apartment complex.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, this Orlando real estate development will spread out over 6.4 acres of land and also sport a unique transit-based layout that allows residents, visitors and workers to walk through the Crescent Central Station apartment complex as they commute to and from the Sun Rail station.

What the $56 million complex is supposed to look like

Construction at the Crescent Central Station located in Orange Ave. at 480 N has been planned to be carried out in phases. The first phase of the project involves erecting a six-story high residential apartment complex with 279 apartments, an adjoining parking facility, and an open retail space spanning 12,000 square feet.

Apart from the luxury apartments and dedicated multilevel parking space that goes seven levels high, the apartment community will also sport a public park and pedestrians will be able to access the Sun Rail/Lynx station. Developers also plan to make the facility bicycle-friendly, in addition to facilitating pedestrians.

The 12,000 square feet of free space on the ground floor of the complex dedicated for retail will be owned and managed by Rida. Further, businesses that lease in or operate from the Crescent Central Station will be required to fund or at least subsidize the ridership of complex residents and employees, transiting through the station.

The initial phase of construction has been projected to cost around $56 million and real estate agents in Orlando have associated it with increased commercial and residential activities and leasing, not only in the complex itself but also in the neighborhood.

 

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