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Orlando, FL Real Estate News

By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
According to recent data from Fannie Mae, almost 1 in 4 people still think home prices are going to come down. If you’re one of the people worried about that, here’s what you need to know.A lot of that fear is probably coming from what you’re hearing in the media or reading online. But here’s the thing to remember. Negative news sells. That means, you may not be getting the full picture. You may only be getting the clickbait version. As Jay Thompson, a Real Estate Industry Consultant, explains:“Housing market headlines are everywhere. Many are quite sensational, ending with exclamation points or predicting impending doom for the industry. Clickbait, the sensationalizing of headlines and content, has been an issue since the dawn of the internet, and housing news is not immune to it.”Here...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
If you’ve been keeping up with the news lately, you’ve probably come across some articles saying the number of foreclosures in today’s housing market is going up. And that may leave you feeling a bit worried about what’s ahead, especially if you owned a home during the housing crash in 2008.The reality is, while increasing, the data shows a foreclosure crisis is not where the market is headed.Here’s the latest information stacked against the historical data to put your mind at ease.The Headlines Make the Increase Sound Dramatic – But It’s NotThe increase the media is calling attention to is a little bit misleading. That’s because it’s comparing the most recent numbers to a time when foreclosures were at historic lows. And that lopsided comparison is making it sound like a much bigger de...
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By Walter DiLoreto, Real Estate Short Sale Specialist
(PHP Houses)
Some Highlights When it comes to the current housing market, there are some myths circling around right now. Some of the more common ones are that it’s better to wait for mortgage rates to fall or prices to crash. But there are others about the supply of homes for sale and down payments.  Let’s connect so you have an expert to help separate fact from fiction in today’s housing market.  Contact us:PHP Houses142 W Lakeview AveUnit 1030Lake Mary, FL 32746Ph: (407) 641-1531Fax: (407) 205-1951email: info@phphouses.comLet’s Connect:FacebookLinkedinTwitterInstagramThe information contained, and the opinions expressed, in this article are not intended to be construed as investment advice. The author does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contai...
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By Jerry LaRose, Orlando, Windermere FL. Real Estate, ABR, GRI, e-PRO, CLHMS
(Orlando Realty Partners)
If you’re facing Foreclosure….. 1. Do not pay doctor bills or credit card debt ahead of the mortgage. Keep mortgage payments current as possible.2. Negotiate with your lender to restructure your mortgage. If the loan is guaranteed by a federal or state agency, the lender may be required to grant assistance, or provide other options, to avoid foreclosure.3. Sell the house before it goes into foreclosure. If your mortgage is higher than the home’s market value, you may be able to persuade the lender to allow you to sell it for less and forgive the rest of the debt. (this is called a short sale)If you’re about to lose your home, filing for bankruptcy can stop the foreclosure process and allow you more time to try to work out a plan to keep the home. Get legal advise from an attorney speci...
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By Jerry LaRose, Orlando, Windermere FL. Real Estate, ABR, GRI, e-PRO, CLHMS
(Orlando Realty Partners)
Are you self-employed or a partner in a small professional practice? If so, you're probably very familiar with all the different challenges of running a business. Ultimately, you're responsible for attracting and retaining customers, providing them with quality services or products, getting paid for your work, and then paying your employees and vendors-all before ever paying yourself a penny.Then, from the remaining profits, the government wants their "fair share" of your success. Fortunately, with some knowledge and planning, you can take steps to minimize the taxes you end up paying. Here are five ways that self-employed individuals and Realtors® can cut their tax bill.1. Employ your childWhile you get to deduct the wages you pay to your son or daughter as a business expense, your ch...
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By Jerry LaRose, Orlando, Windermere FL. Real Estate, ABR, GRI, e-PRO, CLHMS
(Orlando Realty Partners)
Top Ten Short Sale Questions AnsweredNumber 10I can't make my house payments, but I do have an ability to pay back all or part of the negative equity. Also, I want to preserve my credit score...is a short sale right for me?Probably, not. In cases where the seller can pay back all or part of the negative equity (usually to the 2nd lien holder), it makes sense for them to work out a repayment plan. The lender will then release the lien and allow the home to close. Number 9If I pay mortgage insurance and default on my loan, why wouldn't that cover the deficiency amount?The mortgage insurance is not there for your protection, just the mortgage lender's.Number 8Do I have to have my home "Approved" by the lender prior to offering it for sale as a short sale?No. Technically speaking there is n...
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By Christopher Myers, Greater Orlando and Central Florida Real Estate
(Orlando Property Group)
Orlando Florida Real Estate Market Update - February 2008 Below, you'll find a complete market update of all greater Orlando communities.  You can also view specific Orlando Florida real estate market info for Lake Mary, Longwood, Sanford, Casselberry, Winter Springs, Oviedo, East Orlando, Downtown Orlando, Winter Park, Apopka, and Maitland.  Just click on the specific Orlando community in the left hand navigation menu and you will find the Orlando MLS info for the specific area.  This information is pulled from the Orlando MLS and updated for you monthly.  We also provide you the ability to receive automatic updates on homes for sale from the Orlando MLS by email.  Orlando Florida Year Over Year Real Estate Market Comparison Orlando ReagionalRealtor AssociationOriginated Sales Jan 2007...
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By A Timeshare Broker, Inc
(A Timeshare Broker, Inc.)
Our DVC Experience A day-by-day (sometimes hour-by-hour) account of our family's experience purchasing a Disney Vacation Club membership through a reseller. Note to folks who may not be familiar with blogs -- the top post is the most recent. To start from the beginning, use the navigation at the right to choose the earliest date posted. Thanks! Monday, July 14, 2008 Made our first DVC reservation!   We made our first reservation at the 11-month window for June 2009. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we are taking my dad and my brother and his family. I was able to secure a 2-bedroom suite and a studio for six nights. We don't have enough points for seven nights, so we all agreed to stay one night at one of the value resorts. My brother and sister-in-law had been trying to keep the trip...
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By Judy Chapman
(Referral Network of Illinois LLC)
Some say that whether you’re on the buyer side or the seller side, you should avoid Short Sales. Others claim Short Sales are the way to go. The Pitfalls The wait is too long. Banks customarily take 60 days or longer to make a decision. By the time they approve the Short Sale, the buyer has often moved on. The paperwork is monumental. The Rewards Buyers will get a great house at a discounted price. Sellers will avoid foreclosure. The decision is yours!
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By Robert Schott & Paula Hemani, Your Link to Real Estate
(TeamConnect Realty)
 Search Dr Phillips Real Estate by community or click here for an advance search of new listings updated daily. View Larger MapAdvance Home Search of Dr Phillips and Central Florida HomesDr Phillips in Orlando Florida is still a very sought after community in Central Florida, even in todays buyes market  When searching for homes in Dr Phillips since it is not a town or city the best way is using the map above which is broken down by subdivisions or by the advance search.  If you use the advance search use zip codes 32836 and 32819 for Dr Phillips.  Looking at a map the Dr Phillips area is south of Conroy Windermere to Fenton Street west to Apopka Vineland and east to Dr Phillips Blvd.  
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By Drew Peterson
(Keller Williams Advantage II Realty)
Welcome to our blog series on the Top Ten Realtor Myths. On Monday we busted myth six, that all Realtors charge about the same commission. That means we're on to myth number five.Myth: Realtors are generalists, and can sell anywhere.Fact: Realtors can sell anywhere in the state they are licensed, but are rarely effective outside their area of specialty.This is one of the most common Realtor myths we encounter. We constantly hear people say they'll sell their home with a friend who is a Realtor. Or, they'll call a friend and ask for a referral. The assumption is, as long as that agent is a Realtor, they can sell the home regardless of location. Although that's technically true, the reality is much different.We'll start with the licensing of agents in Florida. To become a real estate agen...
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By Alexander Harb, Dallas, Texas Real Estate Investing
(Knights Investing)
 This is my periodic Hunters Creek Market report for 4/8/2008.There are 144 homes for sale in Hunters Creek, DOWN  20 from165 homes last month. 8 homes have been sold in the past 30 days in this well kept area.Maybe the good weather has sparked some imaginations, OR maybe the recent downturn of mortgage rates has gotten sellers interested in putting homes on the market and buyers out l;ooking for what is out there. In any event, there are homes selling in this wonderful area!Here are the features in these central Florida real estate properties:These homes in this list have ALL these features PLUS more: Dishwasher, dryer, refridgerator,above stove microwave, disposal, oven/range combo,attached 2+ car garages with automatic door openers and MORE! They are ALL block construction with some ...
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By David Welch, Real Estate Optimist - #OrlandoRealEstate
(Charles Rutenberg Realty)
Sales figures come out in a couple of days, but this is what to expect. Sales up by more that 100 to 1,070. New contracts up by around 200 to 1,700. Inventory stable, around 27,000. The only number that is down is the median price of $220,000 which is down from $223,000 in February. I don't see that coming down a whole lot more. While resale inventory remains fairly steady, the new home inventory is continuing to dwindle down. From 24,000 at the end of 2006 to 8,700 at the end of 2007. I see this number in the 5,000 range by summer. When the builder incentives start to disappear watch resales pick back up significantly.There is a good article in the paper today where they interview the director of the Institute of Economic Competitiveness in the University of Central Florida's College o...
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By Drew Peterson
(Keller Williams Advantage II Realty)
Welcome to our blog series on the Top Ten Realtor Myths. The last two installments of the series involved myth seven, that a listing agent or buyer's agent can "sell" a home to a potential buyer. With the myth busted, we can move on to number six.Myth: All Realtors charge about the same commission.Fact: There are many different commission models out there including full service, discount, limited service, and MLS entry only.This myth actually isn't as prevalent as it used to be. The recent increase in companies offering alternatives to the traditional commission model has garnered consumers' attention. We'll touch briefly on each of the models, explaining how they work and listing their advantages and disadvantages.1.) MLS Entry only - A relatively new commission model is actually not b...
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By Richard Carpentieri, GRI, ABR, PRM, e-PRO
(Keller Williams Realty)
Bay Hill is located in the Dr Phillips section of the Orlando real estate market.  There has been 3 single family houses sold in the 1st quarter of 2008.   They ranged in size from 2,551 square feet to 4,874 square feet and they sold for prices ranges from $471,000 to $740,000 with an average selling price of $625,333.  They took an average of 331 days before they sold and 2 of them had pools.There are presently 2 houses that are pending closing.  The asking prices for these houses range from $749,900 to $1,499,900 and they range in size from 3,638 square feet to 4,291 square feet with both of them having pools.There are a total of 36 houses on the market.  They range in size from 1,879 square feet to 8,200 square feet with asking prices ranging from $339,000 to $5,999,900 and 29 of the...
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By Rob Arnold, Metro Orlando Full Service - Investor Friendly & F
(Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc.)
I remember growing up in Orlando with Church Street Station as a local hotspot.  In the 1970's the skywriting planes would fly out every weekend and write "Rosies" in the sky (for Rosie O'Grady's club) to invite everyone down to the establishment.       In the 1980's the Church Street Market opened up with lots of restaurants, stores, and attractions.  Horse carriage rides were common throughout downtown Orlando.  You could see the beacon lights shining up in the clouds from Church Street all over town.  I remember in high school going down to Church Street many times on weekends. Downtown Orlando even became a cruising spot to drive around on Saturday nights. The place became a real destination for both locals and tourists.In the 1990's they had carnival style street shows, valet parki...
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By Richard Carpentieri, GRI, ABR, PRM, e-PRO
(Keller Williams Realty)
Avalon Park is located in east Orlando.  There have been 26 single family houses sold in the 1st quarter of 2008.  They range in price from $216,496 to $550,000 with $275,042 being the average and 3 of them having swimming pools.  The square footage ranges from 1,544 to 4,000 and the houses lasted an average of 125 days on the market before they sold.There are presently 20 houses that are pending closing with an asking price range from $199,900 to $499,900.  These houses range in size from 1,499 to 3,587 square feet.  The average time on the market is currently 116 days.  Remember these properties have not closed yet so the average time to close will rise.There are a total of 182 houses on the market ranging in size from 1,544 to 4,297 square feet with asking prices ranging form $201,90...
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By Richard Carpentieri, GRI, ABR, PRM, e-PRO
(Keller Williams Realty)
Andover Lakes is located off of Curry Ford Rd in the east Orlando real estate market.  There has been 3 single family houses sold in the 1st quarter of 2008.  They sold for prices ranging from $196,000 to $225,000 with an average of $211,667 and ranged in size from 1,469 square feet to 2,436 square feet.  They took an average of 109 days before they sold. There are presently 5 houses that are pending closing.  They range in price from $185,000 to $260,000 and they are from 1264 square feet to 1,874.  They have been on the market for an average of 103 days.There are a total of 36 houses on the market.  They range in size from 1,442 square feet and 3,461 square feet with asking prices ranging from $199,900 to $398,000.  Out of the 36 houses that are up for sale, 22 of them have asking pri...
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By Drew Peterson
(Keller Williams Advantage II Realty)
Welcome to our blog series on the Top Ten Realtor Myths. On Wednesday, we discussed part one of myth seven, that a listing agent can "sell" a house to a potential buyer. If you missed the blog, you can catch up by clicking here. Now, let's move on to the second installment.Part two of myth seven says that a buyer's agent can "sell" a home to a potential buyer. Unfortunately, this is less of a myth than we would like. Let us explain.Stories run rampant in the real estate industry of buyer's agents steering clients toward, or away from, certain properties. Sometimes this is done for solid, ethical reasons. Sometimes it's not.Studies done by independent research companies have found a disturbing trend among some real estate agents. When showing property to minority buyers, some Realtors ha...
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By Richard Carpentieri, GRI, ABR, PRM, e-PRO
(Keller Williams Realty)
Andover Cay is located off of Curry Ford Rd in the east Orlando real estate market.  There has been 3 single family houses sold in the 1st quarter of 2008.  They sold for prices ranging from $215,000 to $265,000 and they ranged in size from 1,640 square feet to 2,530 square feet.  They took an average of 116 days before they sold. There is presently 1 house that is pending closing.  The asking price for this house is $269,777 and it is 2,417 square feet.There are a total of 17 houses on the market.  They range in size from 1,368 square feet to 2,585 square feet with asking prices ranging from $177,900 to $339,900.  Out of the 17 houses that are up for sale, 13 of them have asking prices of $265,000 or lower.Considering the amount of houses sold in the 1st quarter of 2008, the saturation...
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By David Welch, Real Estate Optimist - #OrlandoRealEstate
(Charles Rutenberg Realty)
The official numbers won't be out until the 10th, but here are my unofficial numbers for March 2008. Active listings still holding steady at 26,851. Pending sales are down a little bit, but that is because a lot of sales got closed finally. Now for the really good news. Closed sales counted so far 1,052 with a median price of $219,900. This is tentative though, because a few more lower sales, and this number could drop by $2,000. All closed sales are supposed to be reported in the MLS within two days, but the association statistician waits until the fifth of the month just to be sure all the sales get in. Even better news is that there were 1,711 new contracts written in March as compared with 1,239 in January and 1,537 in February.http://www.davidwelch.com/
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By Drew Peterson
(Keller Williams Advantage II Realty)
Welcome to our blog series on the Top Ten Realtor Myths. In the last blog we debunked the #8 myth, that a buyer's agent just puts people into her car and drives them around. With that myth busted, it's time to move on to number seven.Myth: A Realtor, whether the buyer's agent or the listing agent, can "sell" a home to a potential buyer.Fact: No amount of selling is going to convince a buyer to purchase a property he doesn't like or that doesn't match his criteria.This myth is actually one of the most frustrating because it deals with unrealistic expectations. Essentially, there are two sides from which to view the myth. The first is from the perspective of a listing agent, and the second is from the perspective of the buyer's agent. We'll start with the listing side.The myth that a list...
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By Judy Chapman
(Referral Network of Illinois LLC)
Absorption and Pending Contracts Rates in Orlando (as of March 31, 2008) The statistics below show how fast (or s-l-o-w) houses are selling in the Orlando area. Overall, there’s a nearly 2-year supply of houses for sale Orange, Osceola & Seminole counties combined. Digging deeper, though, shows some Orlando neighborhoods and outlying suburbs are faring far better. While this sampling is by no means all-inclusive, it shows that the neighboring Waterford Lakes and Eastwood communities in east Orlando have a current supply of houses that should sell in a year or less. Similarly, the suburbs of Oviedo and Winter Springs show comparable strength. At the other end, the Disney-inspired community of Celebration has more than a 2.5-year supply of homes to sell. And Kissimmee, located south of D...
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