When you examine the current Orlando real estate market a few things are undeniable. The most important fact, there has been a huge decline in Orlando home prices since 2006. Secondly, the foreclosure inventory is still incredibly large. The third factor is that interest rates remain low. There are two potential ways to look at these things. You could look at these facts and say that we are in weak real estate market and an economy that’s struggling. Orlando Real estate investors however, will look at this scenario and see dollar signs
Currently, Orlando home prices sit around 35% below the peak price of 2006 and is starting to show some signs of a recovery. Foreclosure properties and REO’s are the biggest reason for lower than normal home prices. Even if you’re not in a distressed situation, that’s who you’re competing with. This will not change until there’s a demand for more inventory.
Here in Orlando, real estate is already showing significant signs of recovery. Banks are moving short sale files along a lot faster than they used to and inventory is moving.
There are many real estate analysts that say that we haven’t hit rock bottom yet. However, I believe differently. I think we hit bottom in Orlando about six months or so ago and we’re already on the comeback trail. I don’t think we’ll ever see what we saw in 2006 nor do I want to see inflated home prices.
If you’re anOrlando short sale realtor, you’ve noticed that banks are moving short sale files along much faster than was the case a year, or even six months ago. Although our company has an unusual 100% closing ratio on Orlando Short sales, most brokers close about half of their short sale files, which still isn’t bad considering all the work that’s involved. Not to mention everything that can go wrong throughout the process if you’re not experienced in the Orlando short sale arena.
Even though short sales can take anywhere from 2 months to a year from contract to close, people are willing to wait. Sellers that live in the house that they need to short sale have a huge advantage because they can continue to live in their house rent free until the short sale is completed. This really helps families relieve some financial stress, and ultimately translates into the homeowner being in a much better position financially when it’s time to move.
Potential Orlando home buyers also don’t mind waiting because they know that the payoff will be worth it if they are willing to stay in there and play the game. I believe that right now is the perfect time to buy an Orlando Home. The market is starting to stabilize but you can still get a good deal on an a great Property. This time next year people who were going to buy Orlando Real Estate and never did are going to be kicking themselves.
When it comes to lawyers doing Orlando short sales, the fact is most people just don’t need them. Foreclosure filings hit a lull in Florida during the last year. The robo-signing scandal caused many banks to put new Florida foreclosures on hold. That’s coming to an end, and we can expect filings to jump again as we’ve been seeing recently. Orlando homeowners will be looking for help with their situation. The truth is that the process isn’t just hard, It’s scary. We’re talking about potentially getting kicked out of your home. It’s tough to navigate the system alone and it’s crucial that you get help from a proven Orlando Real Estate Expert.
Here’s the good news: There is a lot of help available in Central Florida for free. That’s right. No charge. On the house, Gratis. Organizations certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development should be the first stop for people who have fallen behind on their mortgage or are worried they’re about to. These nonprofit companies are great resources for people who want to know if they qualify for a loan modification.
Your best option however, is to speak with a Top Orlando Short Sale Broker. Not only do they not charge anything to speak with you, but they often times will know a lot more about Orlando Short sales than an attorney will. Most of the time attorneys outsource their short sale files to Orlando Brokers anyway, since by law, a Broker has to be involved in the transaction to represent the seller.
So why would you pay an Attorney upfront, or at all, when you can hire an Orlando Short Sale Expert for Free? If one of my clients had an extra $2,000 or $3,000 to throw around, I’d much rather see them put that toward their moving expenses, etc than toward attorney fees.
When it comes to short sales there’s never a 100% guarantee that a broker or an attorney will produce the results that borrowers want. The difference is that Brokers won’t take your money in the process. As a matter of fact, they only get paid if they close the deal. How’s that for incentive?
It’s actually illegal in the state of Florida for companies to take money upfront in exchange for mortgage modifications. Lawyers, however, are exempt from that rule… Maybe my mom was right, I should have gone to law school.
Far be it from me to say that lawyers are never needed. Legal counsel is an important part of some foreclosure cases. But watching people plunk down thousands of dollars for help they can get elsewhere for free is just sad. It’s like seeing people suffer from the housing meltdown not once, but twice.
Best Practices for Dealing with Orlando Short Sales
Orlando Short sales are distressed properties in that sell, by mutual agreement between the buyer, homeowner, and the mortgage co, for less than what is owed on the property.
If you’re a seller and you need to stop an Orlando foreclosure on yor hoome, this a great way not only stop the foreclosure, but to get out of debt with your lender, and many times even walks away with cash from the closing. The best part is that it doesn’t cost you anything so you have nothing to lose! That’s not all… you can continue living in your house mortgage free while the short sale is being processed which can be for up to 2 years in some cases [depending on the lender].
For buyers, it’s a great way to obtain a real estate investment. Yes, they can be tricky to find and obtain, but are worth the work… sometimes.
Here are 4 tips for short selling in today’s real estate market.
1. The short sale realtor The final price for a short sale is determined by the lender, not you or the buyer. Many buyers have learned this the hard way because they submitted an offer that did not come anywhere close to the bank’s asking price. This doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself into the asking price, but you do have to start from there and work your way down. Doing this will increase your odds of the bank accepting your bid. Unfortunately, if you have an Orlando realtor that is not experienced in doing short sales then you have a big problem. The realtor has to be willing to negotiate with the bank and be ready to show proof as to why the offer is what it is by doing a market analysis on the property among other things.
An Orlando Short Sale Expert will go back and forth with the lender several times before coming to a mutual agreement that works for all parties involved. With some lenders like B of A we’ve had short sale files that have taken over 2 years to close. If your Orlando realtor is not willing to be persistant and stay the course with the lender for as long as it takes, then you probably hired the wrong Orlando real estate agent for the job.
2. Be careful of going too low Another tip is to avoid going too low when you submit your offer. A bank has to balance the benefit of having a buyer take the property off of its hands without having to go through foreclosure and spend more money versus accepting far too little for the property and missing out on a lot of money. If your offer is too low chances are that they won’t accept it. However, a good realtor will guide you through this process as well.
3. Have your Orlando agent check comparable homes This one should go without saying. You have to know what the true value of the property is, as well as how much, if anything, you plan to spend on repairs or upgrades. If there are substantial repairs that need to happen, this can be great for justifying your offer. This is why you should work with an experienced realtor so that he or she can you through this process.
4. Have your Financing Ready When you’re searching for an Orlando short sale, make sure that you have your financing in place and ready to go. If your realtor shows you a property that you love, chances are that someone else loved it to and usually the first person to submit a solid offer to the bank will get their offer accepted. If you’re a cash buyer then your offer stands an even better chance to get accepted.
Remember, Shortsales take time and you have to be patient . If the bank rejects your first offer, which happens a lot, address their concerns and make them a counter offer. Thousands of Orlando properties that were purchased would not have been bought if the buyers sdid not stay the course and stick it out. Considering the stabilizing market my advice to clients is to send in your highest and best offer from the start. I’ve had clients lose their dream house over a couple thousand dollars and every single one has wished that they would’ve gone up that extra two or three grand.
If you’re looking to buy a new home or investment property in Orlando, the first thing you should do is consult with an Orlando Real Estate Professional. In addition to hiring a top Orlando realtoryou can be doing some research on your own by using Google Maps. It has never been easier to obtain information about a property, like surrounding businesses, schools, etc. Google maps becomes especially handy when you’re looking at properties outside of your area.
The number one reason to utilize Google Maps when looking for a new home outside of your area is that it is free. All you have to do is log onto Google Maps and type in the address for the property you are considering purchasing. Instantly you will see a map view of where your home is located, complete with street names and some of the surrounding businesses. You can often determine everything from the nearest grocery store to nearby schools. You can then click “directions” to quickly find the directions from the home you are considering and other areas of interest such as work, school, and shopping. How cool is that?
Satellite View Feature
Along with the map view of Google Maps, you can also click “satellite” on the upper right hand corner of the screen in order to see an actual satellite view of the area. Zoom in to see details such as the neighborhood layout. Plus, some addresses will even enable you to take a street view of the property providing you with a better idea of what your home looks like from the road. While utilizing the satellite feature, you can also determine the general neighborhood condition, including the upkeep of nearby homes. However, when opting for the satellite version of the map it is important to remember that it does not stream live so sometimes the maps are often rather old. All in all, Google Maps is a great asset when looking for a new home.
