School’s Out and Orlando Real Estate is as Hot as the Summer Sun

Orlando Real Estate is Hot, Hot, Hot

Orlando’s summer home-buying season is here. With school being out, parents don’t have to worry about pulling their kids out before the end of the year. There is a sense of urgency in the air and potential home buyers are scrambling to buy a piece of Orlando Realty before the beginning of the new school year. Potential Orlando home buyers are out in record numbers actively searching for their next home. The problem is that there is just not enough inventory to keep up with the demand for Orlando Real Estate.

As an Orlando realtor, I am constantly showing homes to potential buyers, and finding the right one is not always an easy task. When I come across a terrific Orlando property that my clients love, I will almost always recommend them go above the asking price. Orlando real estate is a hot commodity once again and when you find a great deal, you’d better move fast or be ready to miss out. Now that the summer is upon us this is more true than ever.

When it was a buyers market, I would have to show a potential home buyer between 6 and 10 homes before they would even consider putting in an offer on one of them, buyers had the luxury of being extra picky. This made things a lot harder on realtors forcing many Orlando agents to pursue other ways to make a living.

Submitting a full price offer on an Orlando Home may not be enough

The problem these days is that you can’t make an offer soon enough. And sometimes when you send in the offer and there are already multiple offers on the table.  Although this can get frustrating for buyers, part of being an Orlando realtor is to guide our clients on their home buying mission every step of the way. If a client of mine really likes a certain Orlando property, I will almost always suggest that they offer more than the listing price to ensure that they have a chance at getting their offer accepted.

Following up with the Agent is Crucial

The sign of an experienced Orlando Realtor is that they know how to follow up. Many times, listing agents get overwhelmed and if you don’t stay on top of them, your offer could get pushed to the side or end up on the “back burner”.  It’s the realtor’s job to not only submit the offer but to make sure the offer was received and follow up, follow up, follow up. Unfortunately, there are agents out there that don’t always follow the rules like they are supposed to so that they can drive up the price and increase their commission. This is why it’s important to have a Top Orlando Realtor looking out for your best interest.

Happy House Hunting!

Jenny Zamora, Lic RE Broker

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As the Unemployment Rate Falls, Orlando Real Estate Sales Improve

Orlando Realty sales improve partly because of less unemployment

 

 

The unemployment rate in the state Florida dropped one tenth of a percent in May. That is the lowest we’ve seen it since 2008. It makes perfect sense that this is having a positive effect on state tax collections, and Florida real estate transactions are leading the way. With less unemployment  things are moving forward again. Not just in the Orlando real estate market, but across everything else the board.

 

Florida banks are lending money again.  This not only helps people get loans to buy property, but since the beginning of 2012 financial institutions have created fifty seven hundred new jobs in Florida.  In fact, Florida’s financial institutions account for 1 out of every 10 new jobs created in Florida since the first of the year.

 

The fact that pending sales in Florida are up thirty five percent is proof that people are back in the market ready to buy. It’s a fact that if your making enough money to pay your bills and support your family, your happy.  If you’re happy you will spend more money and feel good about it, it’s just human nature. This is why the Orlando market is improving at the rate that it is. People feel like the recession is behind them and there is hope again. Fact: the #1 cause of divorce in our country is financial problems. I’m not certain but I would guess that the divorce rate in Florida overall has also dropped together with the unemployment rate.

 

Foreign nationals Purchasing 1 out of every 6 Orlando Properties

 

With Orlando Realty prices being what they were, foreign nationals are making some serious home purchases. Whether it’s for a vacation home or to move in as a primary residence to escape the cold once and for all. Orlando Real Estate is a hot commodity for people oversees. I have been working with some English investors for several years now which have purchased at least a dozen Orlando properties from us since 2008.

 

New Construction in Orlando Still Suffering

 

Although we’re seeing dramatic improvements in the Orlando real estate market lately, new construction still remains one of the hardest hit areas in Florida’s economy, losing about 20,000 jobs within the last year. Orlando Real estate Developers are going to have to come up with some even bigger incentives in order to compete with the rest of the market.

 

Jenny Zamora, Lic RE Broker/ Orlando Real Estate Expert

 

Sell A house in Orlando

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Certified Distressed Property Experts and Orlando Real Estate

What is a Certified Distressed Property Expert [CDPE]?

It means that an Orlando Realtor with the CDPE designation is someone that is supposed to understand the complex and ever-changing issues in today’s Orlando Real Estate market. The agent should have knowledge of foreclosure avoidance options available to homeowners. A CDPE can provide solutions, specifically short sales, for homeowners facing market hardships.

Many times Orlando homeowners make the mistake of trying to do things on their own when they’ve fallen into foreclosure. This is always a bad idea because when someone is in financial distress, they’re just not thinking clearly, especially with the emotional burden of potentially losing their Orlando home to foreclosure.

Speaking with a realtor that is CDPE certified, also known as an “Orlando Short Sale Expert” is by far the best course of action to take. First of all, it doesn’t cost you a cent to consult with an Orlando realtor [if a realtor ever tries to charge you for a consultation, turn around and walk away], so you have absolutely nothing to lose in this regard. CDPEs have the tools, knowledge, and experience to help homeowners figure out the best solutions for their specific solution through the execution of an Orlando short sale or loan modification.

Are you considering an Orlando Short Sale?

If you’re currently looking for an Orlando Short sale Expert, make sure to select an agent that possesses the CDPE designation to make sure that you have a trained professional to address your specific needs.  CDPEs have an obligation to go above and beyond for their clients in need and you shouldn’t settle for anything less.

It’s not just about the CDPE Designation…

With all of that being said about CDPEs, it’s important to also consider the amount of experience the Orlando agent has had as a CDPE and what is their success rate with short sales in Orlando. This is something that is easily researched online or even better… ask your potential agent to show you proof of how many short sales listings they have and also ask them how many short sales they’ve closed in the past 6 months.

Another great option that may save you some time is just Google Orlando Short Sales and see what comes up. The top three results that come up should give you a great starting point. Like most people in the world today, I use Google for just about everything.

You want an agent that’s aggressive and doesn’t take no for an answer. Working with short sales is tough and you need an agent that is willing to go toe to toe with the bank for you. Unfortunately, this kind of tenacity and work ethic is something that is difficult to teach, realtors either have or don’t have.

Ask me anything, I’m here to help.

Jenny Zamora, Lic RE Broker.  Certified Distressed Property Expert

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We are Currently Hiring Orlando Realtors!

Orlando Realtors Wanted!

Due to the ever increasing amount of leads that we have coming into our office, it’s once again time to hire more Orlando Realtors so we can keep up with the demand. Have you ever wanted to work with and learn from a Top Orlando Broker?  Well, If you are a licensed Orlando Realtor, then now is your chance. Here are some of the things we take into consideration when hiring an Orlando Real Estate Agent.

Top 5 qualities we look for in when hiring an Orlando Real Estate Agent

1-  Be on time- Whether your coming into the office or headed to a meeting with a potential buyer or seller, nobody likes it when you make them wait. It’s unprofessional and It starts things of on the wrong foot. I’ve seen agents lose potential Orlando listings just because they showed up late for the appointment. The  seller will automatically think that you are always late for every thing you do.

2- Be a person of your word- If you say that you are going to do something, then follow through and do it. Being someone of your word will help to build your reputation as a trusted real estate professional in the community. It also helps to build trust with the people who work around you on a day to day basis. To be a successful Orlando agent you must have the  reputation of being a dependable agent and people will know that you won’t let them down.

3- Always be willing to learn- There are some agents out there that think they know everything because they’ve been doing real estate for a while, they get stuck in a certain way of doing things and resist change. With all the new laws and regulations that are happening in Orlando real estate, you have to be aware of them in order to serve the client to the best of your abilities. If you don’t know about the “New Law” that came out yesterday that will help your new client to achieve their goal, then you’re failing to do what’s best for your client.  I’ve been in real estate for 10 years and I feel like I learn something new everyday.

4- A good work ethic- This is something that is taught and instilled in you from when you’re a child. In my experience, It’s virtually impossible to teach an adult to have good work ethics if they don’t already have it in them. In the competitive world of Orlando Realty, you must be a hard worker if you’re going to survive solely as Realtor. We can provide an agent with a steady flow of leads for Orlando real estate, for both buyers and sellers. However, if those leads aren’t followed up on or worked on, then it’s a complete waste of time and marketing dollars.

5- Have a positive attitude- People that have a positive attitude tend to radiate positive energy or otherwise known as having a “Good Vibe”. These is really something that you either have or don’t have. I’ve met Orlando agents that absolutely hate being a realtor and it shows through. No matter how bad they try to hide it you just get the feeling that the don’t want to be there. This is negative energy aka having a “Bad Vibe”. Having a bad attitude will cripple you and ultimately destroy your career as a real estate agent. If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. To be a successful Orlando realtor, you have to absolutely love what you do and submerge yourself in it.

So there you have it. If you have the qualities mentioned above and you want to join one of Orlando’s Top Real Estate Brokerages, then please contact me so we can have a chat.

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New rules set to improve turn around time for Orlando Short Sales

 Orlando Short Sale Process should be much faster with new rules in place

With the new rules regarding short sales taking effect this month, federal regulators are hoping to streamline the entire Orlando short sale process from beginning to end for residential properties.

The new regulations which will regulate both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,  forces the agencies to give short sale buyers a yes or no answer within a 60 day time period. The rule is supposed to go into effect on the 15th of this month.

The rules also force the agencies to respond to initial requests for short sales within 30 days of receiving a buyer’s offer. For Orlando realtors, this is great news! No longer will they be able to take their own sweet time to respond, which sometimes meant waiting  a couple of months to see if they even considered the offer. And most of the time the buyer would get frustrated and walk away from the potential deal.

What is an Orlando short sale?

For those of you who don’t know, a short sale is when a lender agrees to accept a contract price for less than what is owed on the mortgage.  Orlando Real Estate values have dropped an average of 35 to 45 percent since 2007 leaving many homeowners with more debt than their home is worth.

Orlando short sales are very popular right now. It’s the perfect solution for the sellers, the buyers, Orlando realtors and the lenders. Lenders get to recoup some of their money back, Sellers are able to get rid of an enormous debt and avoid Orlando foreclosure, Buyers get a great deal on an Orlando property, and it gives realtors an opportunity to earn their money. Any Orlando short sale realtor can tell you that negotiating a short sale is no walk in the park

I believe that with the new short sale rules in place will benefit the entire Florida housing market.

Lenders prefer short sales because they are much more efficient than foreclosures. Although many homeowners have become casualties of lengthy and unpredictable time frames that it takes to process a Florida short sale.

We’ve closed thousands of Orlando short sales over the years and I can tell you from experience that unless you’ve worked with certain lenders before, there’s no way of knowing how it’s all going to play out. We’ve worked some that have taken 60 days from start to finish and some that have taken two and a half years to complete.

 

Ask me anything,   I’m here to help

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