Tag: real estate agents in Orlando

How To Interview A Realtor – Video

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Hiring the right realtor is crucial when listing your house for sale and it could save you a ton of headaches as well as thousands of dollars, so you don’t just want to hire the first agent that comes along. There are currently over 8,000 active real estate agents in Orlando and choosing the right one can get a bit confusing.

When interviewing an agent, you have to ask the right questions. The first question I would ask is, Do you work as a realtor full-time, or do you also have another job?

This is an easy one. If the agent tells you that they only work in real estate part-time, then you say “have a nice day…and move on to the next candidate. If they only work as a realtor part-time it means that selling your house won’t be a top priority for them.

The next question is actually a 3 part question
1- How many listings do you currently have?
2- How many of those listings are under contract?
3- How many houses have you sold in the past 6 months?

The answers to these questions will tell you how hard of a worker the agent is and what their average turnaround time is to sell a house.

If the agent only has a few listings or if they have listings that are several months old with no contract, then this is a sign of a lazy agent.

You want an agent that is a go-getter and someone who is determined to get the job done ASAP, NO MATTER WHAT.

Getting a clear picture of the realtor’s recent track record will give you a very good indication of what you can expect if they list your house.

Next question,…Do you have some references from past clients that I can call to ask about you?

This is absolutely one of the best ways to find out how you’ll be treated if you decide to list your house with them. A good agent will be happy to provide you with a list of past clients along with their contact info. If they have no references to present to you then something’s wrong.

In my 10 years in the Orlando Real estate business, I’ve never had a client who has told me not to use them as a reference. It’s simple, if you do a good job for someone, they’re always going to be happy to recommend you.

Next question,… Do you have a team or an assistant, or are you a one-person show?

A Top Orlando Realtor will always have a team or an assistant at the very least. There are a million details that a successful realtor has to deal with on a day-to-day basis and if they have to handle every tedious detail on their own, then they aren’t good at managing their time. Or they have too much time on their hands. Neither of these scenarios is a good one.

Next question,… How will you market my house other than putting it o the MLS?

The majority of Orlando real estate agents will list the house on the MLS and…that’s about it. They’re done! They wait for someone to submit a contract and if no one submits a contract then they just keep waiting until someone does.

There are soo many effective ways to market a house in addition to putting it on the MLS. Here are some examples of some of the things we do.

Video marketing [that’s where we create a professional video of the home], social media marketing, We blog about it, target marketing with postcards, email campaigns, press releases, Open houses… it goes on and on.

It’s important that a realtor use every single tool in their toolbox to get that house sold for top dollar in the least amount of time.

If you ask these questions when interviewing a realtor, then you will know exactly what they’re about by the answers that they give you. Also, don’t interview just one or two agents, I recommend that you interview at least 3 agents and pick the one that you feel the most comfortable with.

If you still have any questions or concerns about how to hire a top Orlando realtor or if you are just curious about how much your home will sell for, then… feel free to contact us at 407902-7750 or visit us on the web at https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/

How To Interview A Realtor 407-902-7750 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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The Quiet Short Sale | By ORC

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

A short sale on your home can be frustrating, intrusive and sometimes even embarrassing. At Orlando Realty Consultants [ORC] we’ve developed a process for people who need to do a short sale, but don’t want the whole neighborhood knowing about it.  We like to call it…” The Quiet Short Sale”. The quite short sale works much different than an ordinary short sale. To begin with, there are no “for sale” signs or lock boxes anywhere on your property. This will save homeowners from having to explain to their neighbors why they’re selling their home.

The key is getting the lender’s authorization to leave the short sale listing off of the MLS. We’re able to do this because over the years we’ve developed great relationships with all the major lenders so most of the time we get this authorization granted to us without any problem at all. By leaving your home off of the MLS, it will dramatically cut down on the number of unqualified buyers, nosy neighbors and tire kickers trying to come in and out of your home.

We work with hundreds of investors from around the country that make selling an Orlando home easy and painless. Only qualified buyers will find out about the property through target marketing systems that we use to successfully market all of our Orlando properties.

Also, every time we show the property, it will be by appointment and it will be by one of our licensed team members so you don’t have to worry about strangers walking throughout your house.

We will also work with your lender to get you the maximum amount of money back at the closing to help you get into your next home. Our clients usually receive anywhere from $3,000.00 to $30,000.00 back at the closing of the transaction.

Over the years we’ve helped thousands of Orlando homeowners short sale their homes and move on with their life.

We look forward to helping you with your short sale transaction. For more information contact our offices in Orlando at 407-902-7750.

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Median Prices of Orlando Real Estate Rise amidst Higher Inventory

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

According to an Orlando real estate industry report, the housing inventory for the city saw a 42 percent hike in February, just ahead of the much-awaited spring selling season. The increase in inventory however is not without an increase in median prices of homes – a phenomenon that Orlando Realtors are attributing to increased demands for residential properties in Orlando.

Orlando Real Estate- high inventory – high demand – high median prices

The overall median price of homes in Orlando for February 2014 stood at $158,000 – 18.80 percent higher than the median price during the same time in 2013 when it was $133,000. With the increasing prices, there has also been a rise in the number of non-distressed property owners entering the Orlando real estate market, providing the inventory a much-needed boost.

The nearly 19 percent increase in median price, despite a 42 percent increase in inventory is because desirable homes in Orlando continue to attract multiple buyers. As a result, these homes disappear quickly from the open market, tightening the inventory.

Considering consecutive year-on-year growth rates, the city’s overall median price has increased 36.80 percent in 31 months, registering year-to-year gains throughout the period. Further, the median price for February 2014 was 5.69 percent higher than in January 2014.

According to Orlando short sale realtors, the median prices increased 18.30 percent for short sales and 12.23 percent for “normal” sales. Condos registered a 16.40 percent hike in their median price, compared to February 2013 while single-family homes registered a slightly higher increase of 17.69 percent.

Short Sales, Normal Sales, and Pending

In February 2014, foreclosures and short sales accounted for 34.27 percent of all home sales. Back in 2013, they amounted to 46.01 percent of the total sales. The number of sales closed in February 2014 was 17.26 percent lower than in February 2013; however, the figure exceeded the number of sales closed in January 2014 by 1.48 percent.

Realtors hold that the slower rate of closure is because prospective buyers, especially first-time buyers, had to face the challenges posed by tighter credits, increased rates of mortgages, and higher prices.

Compared to the corresponding value in February 2013, “normal” sales of residential properties saw a 0.72 percent hike in February 2014. The rate of closure for short sales, on the other hand, saw a massive decrease of 63.53 percent and the sales-closing of foreclosed properties decreased by 15.29 percent.

The number of pending sales in February 2014 decreased by 19.72 percent as compared to the same period in 2013. However, it was recorded to be 9.67 percent higher than the number of pending sales in January 2014. Further, the report also found that homes came under contract or closed, faster in 2014 than they did in 2013. Homes typically spent 76 days, listed on the market in February 2014 as against 84 days in February 2013.

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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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