Tag: Spanish speaking realtors in Florida

Orlando Real Estate, the new 401k for retirees

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Orlando real estate is once again a good investment for retirees

After the huge real estate bubble, we experienced between 2000 thru 2006, we all learned a painful lesson in 2007 when the market tanked. It’s just not normal for Orlando real estate prices to double over the course f only seven years. When the market crashed, Orlando’s real estate prices dropped to 50% of where they were and in some areas of Orlando, it was even more than that.

What I have been seeing more of recently, however,  is that people are considering Orlando realty as a good investment for retirement once again. Here in Orlando, the bottoming process has already happened and prices have been on a steady rise. There is still a long way to go before we see a normal housing market, however, historically low mortgage rates are helping the market by making the cost of ownership more affordable, assuming that the potential buyer can qualify.

Sensing this opportunity, many are jumping into the rental market to boost retirement savings and income. There are however several important factors to consider when buying an Orlando property for the purpose of receiving a steady stream of income.

 5 Tips for potential Orlando Landlords

1- Make sure that you buy at the right price- This is where working with an experienced Orlando realtor will pay off big. Make sure your agent shows you the recent comparables in the area. Chances are that you won’t find anything at 30% market value unless it needs work done, but you should be able to buy something at fair market value, which is OK if you’re thinking long term.

2- Forget about flipping- The days of flipping houses for a huge profit are gone for the most part and you shouldn’t go into this thinking that you will be able to sell your investment property for twice what you paid for it in six months, it’s just not going to happen.

3- Take advantage of Historically low mortgage rates- Even if a potential home buyer is able to purchase an Orlando Investment property, I always suggest to them that they should consider getting a mortgage. With historically low rates right now, it’s a great opportunity for potential investors if they can qualify.

4-Consider hiring a property management company- Being a landlord can be a great source of income if you’re up to the task. However,  I must warn you that it’s not for everyone. Landlords have to deal with not only the maintaining of the property, but they have to be available to tenants at a moment’s notice in case of emergencies. This is why you should consider hiring a property management company right from the start. You should work this expense into your budget before even buying your investment property so that you will know if the numbers make sense.

5-Get familiar with Orange county eviction laws- If you become a landlord for any amount of time you can expect to have a deal with an eviction or two [at least]. It’s very important that your rental agreements are solid and that you do background checks on ALL of your tenants no matter how nice you think they are. It may cost you a few extra bucks to get a quality tenant into your house but I can tell you from experience that paying a bit more upfront to do things correctly will save you time, money, and headaches in the long run.

It’s important for people considering Orlando real estate as retirement income to remember what the goal is. The goal is for the owner to be mortgage-free and to collect a steady stream of income on a house that’s free and clear.

Sell A house in Orlando

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

3 Best Tips to Selling your Orlando Home Fast with Little or no Money

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

When it comes to Selling Orlando Real Estate, there’s only one chance to Sweep potential buyers Off their Feet.

Top Orlando realtors know the importance of staging a house to get it sold. The truth is, with the exception of owner occupied homes that are furnished because the homeowners still live their, hardly any one wants to spend the money to have their house staged for showings. Even the houses that are owner occupied and fully furnished can work against you. Let’s face it, not everyone has the best taste to pick out furniture or decorating a home to look it’s very best.

I’ve entered many owner occupied Orlando homes and have been forced to have that ever so awkward conversation with the seller about removing some of their personal belongings, de-clutter and sometimes about just basic cleaning.

Have you  ever had to tell a cat lover that they need to get the cat smell out of their house, or even better, relocate the cat so we can get the property sold? Not funnest part of my job!

As an Orlando Listing Agent it’s my job to do my very best at getting my clients Orlando Property sold, and sometimes sellers will get their feelings hurt. Usually, once I explain to the seller why we need to do certain things to their home sold for the highest price possible, they understand that ultimately it’s for their own good.

I also make them understand that as a Top Orlando Broker, people seek me out for quality Orlando properties and it’s my responsibility to show everyone of my listings in the best light possible.

Top Tips on making your Orlando Property look it’s best with little or no money

1-Cleaning and De-Cluttering– If you could only do one single thing to a house to make it look better, it would be to clean it and get rid of  the clutter. Most potential buyers don’t have the imagination to see anything except what you are showing them. So in other words the perception is the reality. Start by removing everything that you possibly can into the garage or out front. If possible, remove any large pieces of furniture that can make a room feel small and uncomfortable. Also, you should remove as many personal items as possible and put them in storage. Next,… clean, clean and clean more. Make every surface of your house as clean as possible, I prefer the term “sparkle”.

Warning: Once you clean and De-Clutter your home like never before, you run the risk of falling in love with it all over again and not  wanting to move anymore.

2-Lighting–  To show a house in it’s best light possible, you start with light and lots of it. There’s nothing worse than showing a house that looks dim and dark when you first walk in [that’s what they’ll remember]. Ample illumination can make a home feel warm, inviting and even larger and open. Lightening and brightening a home can offer one of the biggest returns to sellers at resale next to Cleaning, De-cluttering and paint. To make sure you get maximum benefit from your lighting efforts here are a few suggestions

      a. Use clear light bulbs instead of opaque for a cleaner look- Get rid of any mismatched bulbs, they are an eye sore and can make a room feel  chaotic. Also, avoid using those energy efficient bulbs that emit a harsh glare, instead use standard incandescent bulbs for a warm soft white light that.
 
      b. Clean or Update old lighting fixtures- If it’s not in your budget to update old light fixtures, then clean them. It’s a huge turn off to a potential buyer to look up at light fixture and see dust, spider webs and dead insects. I know it’s a pain to get the ladder out if the garage and clean fixtures that haven’t been cleaned in quite a while, but well worth your time and effort.
 
     c. Take advantage of window lighting- Start from the outside in, clean the glass and the screens. If the screens look really bad, get rid of them.  Old screens can make a window look awful and I’ve never seen a deal fall through because of a  house not having screens on the windows. On the inside get rid of any curtains or other window dressings that can be keeping the light from getting into the house.

3-Fresh Paint- If you were able to complete my first 2 suggestions, then you are off to a great start and many times you don’t need this final step. However, if you have chipped, scratched and missing paint on some of your walls, or if the colors you have on your walls now are very personal to you then you should definitely consider painting. Some people will see a color on the walls that they don’t care for and for that reason alone not like the house and not make an offer. If your house is extremely colorful to the point where it might turn some potential buyers off my suggestion is to paint all the interior walls off white. You can’t go wrong with off white; it’s bright, soft and elegant all rolled in to one. My husband is an experienced Orlando Real Estate Investor/Re-habber and he paints everyone of his Orlando properties “off white” with the trim “bright white”. You really can’t go wrong with this combination. It makes the house look clean, spacious and elegant. Also, these colors are very easy to paint over for new homeowners wanting a more dramatic look.

 

I hope this information was helpful to anyone looking to  sell their Orlando property. If you would like to see how much your house would sell for in today’s market, even if you have no intention of selling. Feel free to come see us for a Free Consultation or call 407-902-7750

 

Jenny Zamora, Lic Florida RE Broker

 

Sell A house in Orlando

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

We are Currently Hiring Orlando Realtors!

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

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.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

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

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

 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

Sell A house in Orlando

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields