Just listed-431 LOCKBREEZE DRIVE, DAVENPORT, FL

by Elsa Soto | Apr 13, 2020 | Blog, Buyers, Homeowners, Homes, Villas and Condos, Investment Property in Florida, News, Real Estate Components, Real Estate News, Renters, Sellers

Just listed-431 LOCKBREEZE DRIVE, DAVENPORT, FL

431 LOCKBREEZE DRIVE, DAVENPORT, FL

Just Listed

Presented By:

Bardell Real Estate

863-424-2309

Schedule a Showing/Request Info

$ Click for current price
3 BEDROOMS | 2 Baths (2 full ) BATHROOMS | 1611 SqFt

Located in the popular Hampton Lakes community on Hwy27 this three bedroom two bathroom pool home is ideally located with easy access to I4, Champions Gate and Hwy 192. You will immediately notice the natural light and openness of this great split floor plan as you enter into the living and dining area . The master bedroom with ensuite that doubles as a pool bath overlooks the pool area to the rear of the home while bedrooms two and three share a house bathroom and are located towards the front. A fully equipped kitchen with dinette and breakfast bar is at the center of the home and a separate family room, with sliding patio doors, leads outside. The west facing in-ground, screened in pool is extremely private thanks to the 6ft white UPVC fencing providing the perfect area to relax, entertain or dine al-fresco. Sold fully furnished the current owner has maintained this property as a second home from new so even the slate bed pool table in the garage will stay. Perfect for a primary residence, second home or income generating vacation home this property is move-in ready. Minutes to Disney and all the Central Florida attractions make sure this is on your list to view !!

Online Notaries Come to the Rescue on Transactions

by Elsa Soto | Apr 2, 2020 | Blog, Buyers, Homeowners, Homes, Villas and Condos, Investment Property in Florida, News, Press Releases, Real Estate Components, Real Estate News, Renters, Sellers

Online Notaries Come to the Rescue on Transactions

While real estate pros adapt in light of a global pandemic, a digital notary is helping to complete remote closings to keep sales on track. Notarize, part of the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2017 tech accelerator Reach class, predicts that it will process at least $100 billion in transactions on its platform this year. That is up from about $10 billion last year, the company says.

“A lot of our partner industries are in crisis right now because they cannot complete really important transactions,” Pat Kinsel, Notarize’s chief executive, told The Wall Street Journal.

Notarize allows notaries to complete documents from their mobile devices or desktops 24 hours per day in states that allow the process. More than 20 states have laws allowing electronic notarization. Some states are scrambling to add them. For example, in March, New York issued executive orders to permit them. Also, in March, the U.S. Senate introduced a federal bill on electronic notarization. Read more: NAR Urges Swift Passage of Remote Notarization Bill

The real estate industry is finding ways to adapt to shelter-in-place rules started as states manage the the COVID-19 pandemic, to keep pending home sales heading to the settlement table. In states where electronic notarizations are still not accepted, some home sales are being completed in parking lots or drive-thru windows. A notary may pass documents through car windows and watch papers being signed. Read Drive-Thru Closings: The Sale Must Go On

In states that do allow electronic notarizations, closings can take place practically anywhere. The technology to allow remote home closings has been around for years. But, while many brokerages and title companies have continued to rely heavily on paper and fax, they’re now examining new procedures.

“Between appraisals and notaries and county clerk’s offices, there’s a lot of obstacles to just getting people to be able to close their mortgages,” Vishal Garg, chief executive of Better.com, an online mortgage company, told The Wall Street Journal.

Companies that tout remote solutions for home buyers and home sellers are reporting unprecedented demand, The Wall Street Journal reports. As brokerages adopt new technology to aid in the closing process, some real estate executives predict this could become a prominent method to move closings forward, and one that customers may prefer.

“Even without the coronavirus, I don’t see me going to the closing table anymore,” Darry Dkystra, who used an electronic notarization service in late March to remotely close on an investment home in Plant City, Fla., told The Wall Street Journal.

Ready to make a Move?

Bardell Real Estate are the experts in helping you with your selling, buying or renting needs near Orlando, Florida. Make your Disney area experience a forever memorable one. Call us now to speak to a real estate agent.

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April Home Maintenance Check list

by Elsa Soto | Apr 2, 2020 | Blog, Homeowners, Homes, Villas and Condos, Investment Property in Florida, Local Events, Real Estate Components, Real Estate News

April Home Maintenance Check list

Now that you’re prepared for rainy springtime, it’s time to use the last few months of spring to get ready for summer. Make sure that you complete your spring cleaning in your kitchen.

PEST CONTROL
April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring bugs in large quantities. As pests begin to emerge in the springtime, keep your eye out for signs of pests and consider spraying your home!

ATTIC INSPECTION
As the weather warms up, it’s time to make sure everything is working well in your attic and there haven’t been any leaks. Keep your eye out for rusted nails, stains on the roof, or damaged wood. Make sure that bathroom fans are venting to the outside and not into the attic space, as that can cause a build-up of moisture and mold. If your attic only has insulation for flooring, make most of this into a visual inspection to be safe.

TUNE UP AIR CONDITIONER
Call a professional to get your air conditioner running for summer. If you have a home warranty, you can get a tune-up for a small service call fee. You will have your condenser coils cleaned, your filters replaced, and your refrigerant levels, contacts, condensation lines, and thermostat checked.

VACUUM HVAC
After getting the air conditioner tuned-up by a professional, you should clean it. Unplug the unit before getting started and wipe away any dirt and debris from the case and the blades that are on top of the unit. Then, gently vacuum the fins on the outside of your unit. You should also clean around the unit to make sure there are no blockages that will stop air from being taken into the unit and cooled.

Ready to make a Move?

Bardell Real Estate are the experts in helping you with your selling, buying or renting needs near Orlando, Florida. Make your Disney area experience a forever memorable one. Call us now to speak to a real estate agent.

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Existing home sales-February

by Elsa Soto | Mar 30, 2020 | Blog, Homeowners, Homes, Villas and Condos, Investment Property in Florida, Real Estate News

Existing home sales-February

Existing-home sales climbed substantially in February after a slight decline in January, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Of the four major regions, only the Northeast reported a drop in sales, while other areas saw increases, including sizable sales gains in the West.

Total existing-home sales,¹ https://www.nar.realtor/existing-home-sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 6.5% from January to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 5.77 million in February. Additionally, for the eighth straight month, overall sales greatly increased year-over-year, up 7.2% from a year ago (5.38 million in February 2019).

“February’s sales of over 5 million homes were the strongest since February 2007,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “I would attribute that to the incredibly low mortgage rates and the steady release of a sizable pent-up housing demand that was built over recent years.”

The median existing-home price² for all housing types in February was $270,100, up 8.0% from February 2019 ($250,100), as prices rose in every region. February’s price increase marks 96 straight months of year-over-year gains.

Yun noted that February’s home sales were encouraging but not reflective of the current turmoil in the stock market or the significant hit the economy is expected to take because of the coronavirus and corresponding social quarantines. “These figures show that housing was on a positive trajectory, but the coronavirus has undoubtedly slowed buyer traffic and it is difficult to predict what short-term effects the pandemic will have on future sales,” Yun said.

Total housing inventory³ at the end of February totaled 1.47 million units, up 5.0% from January, but down 9.8% from one year ago (1.63 million). Unsold inventory sits at a 3.1-month supply at the current sales pace, equal to the supply recorded in January and down from the 3.6-month figure recorded in February 2019.

Properties typically remained on the market for 36 days in February, seasonally down from 43 days in January, and down from 44 days in February 2019. Forty-seven percent of homes sold in February 2020 were on the market for less than a month.

First-time buyers were responsible for 32% of sales in February, equal to the percentages seen in both January 2020 and in February 2019. NAR’s 2019 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers – released in late 2019⁴ – revealed that the annual share of first-time buyers was 33%.

Ready to make a Move?

Bardell Real Estate are the experts in helping you with your selling, buying or renting needs near Orlando, Florida. Make your Disney area experience a forever memorable one. Call us now to speak to a real estate agent.

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Mortgage Rates Fall to the Lowest Level Since 2016

by Elsa Soto | Mar 13, 2020 | Blog, Homeowners, Investment Property in Florida, Real Estate Components, Real Estate News

Mortgage Rates Fall to the Lowest Level Since 2016

Mortgage rates have dropped to the lowest levels since before the 2016 presidential election.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.45% during the week ending Feb. 6, a decrease of six basis points from the previous week, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. This was the third consecutive week in which mortgage rates dropped.

The last time the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was at or below this level was in October 2016, when it averaged 3.42%.

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also fell three basis points to 2.97%, according to Freddie Mac. This was the first time since 2016 the average rate for the 15-year fixed home loan fell below 3%. The 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage, however, increased eight basis points to an average of 3.32%.

The decline in fixed mortgage rates reflected the movement in the 10-year Treasury yield—mortgage rates roughly track the direction of long-term bond yields. While equities markets rebounded this week as fears regarding the spread of the coronavirus abated, the 10-year Treasury was more resistant to upward movement. Toward the latter half of the week, the 10-year yield improved following the release of positive economic data.

“As rates fell for the third consecutive week, markets staged a rebound with increases in manufacturing and service sector activity,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac chief economist, said in the report. “The combination of very low mortgage rates, a strong economy and more positive financial market sentiment all point to home purchase demand continuing to rise over the next few months.”

Could this be the last affordable spring home-buying market?

That rising demand is expected to speed the start of the spring home-buying season, which is generally the most popular time of year to purchase a home for most of the country.

But a new report based on research from Realtor.com and the National Association of Realtors indicates that buyers who manage to score a deal this year will be lucky, as experts predict that affordability will only worsen in the years to come.

“The number of metros across the country seeing improvements to home affordability continues to increase,” Sabrina Speianu, senior economist research analyst at Realtor.com and the report’s author, wrote. “However, this spring home-buying season may be the last to see gains to affordability in quite a while.”

In the fourth quarter of 2019, housing affordability improved across all income levels nationwide, though the biggest gains in affordability were experienced among those in high income brackets. Out of the 100 largest metropolitan areas nationwide, 87 saw affordability improvements in the fourth quarter.

The rise in affordability was driven largely by low mortgage rates, but other factors also played a role, including growing household incomes, decelerating or falling home listing prices and inventory increases in some markets. Des Moines, Iowa saw the largest improvement in affordability nationwide, while Tulsa, Okla., experienced the biggest downturn.

Barring future global economic events or changes in Federal Reserve policy, interest rates are expected to stabilize in 2020, the report said. “With stabilizing interest rates, only income growth or increased construction of affordable homes can provide continued increases to home affordability,” Speianu wrote. “However, income growth has historically failed to keep up with home price growth and home builders have yet to reach normal levels of building activity despite recent optimism.”

Ready to make a Move?

Bardell Real Estate are the experts in helping you with your selling, buying or renting needs near Orlando, Florida. Make your Disney area experience a forever memorable one. Call us now to speak to a real estate agent.

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Does Curb Appeal Affect Home Value?

by Elsa Soto | Feb 26, 2020 | Blog, Buyers, Homeowners, New Listing, Real Estate News, Sellers, Testimonials

Does Curb Appeal Affect Home Value?

How Much Does Curb Appeal Affect Home Value?

How Much Does Curb Appeal Affect Home Value? Homes with high curb appeal tend to sell for an average of 7% more than similar houses with an uninviting exterior, according to a joint study by the University of Alabama and the University of Texas at Arlington. Further, the premium rises to as high as 14% in slower real estate markets with greater housing inventory, shows the study, which was published in the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics.

Researchers examined Google Street View photos and sales data from 88,980 properties in the Denver metro area to find how much curb appeal matters to a home’s value. The researchers found that the curb appeal of neighboring properties also has an impact on a home’s value. The appearance of the yard next door accounts for about a third of a home’s overall premium, the study notes.

It’s common knowledge that curb appeal affects a home’s value, but quantifying the financial impact is a challenge, Sriram Villupuram, a senior author of the study and an associate professor at UT Arlington, told The Wall Street Journal. “It’s observable, but not quantifiable,” Villupuram says. The researchers manually scored a set of properties using Google Street View on a scale of one to four (one indicates lowest curb appeal; four indicates highest).

Researchers considered homes to have low curb appeal if the property includes blemishes like a broken pavement or overgrown grass. Homes were considered to have high curb appeal if they included features like well-kept lawns and professional landscaping.

Many appraisers evaluate a home based on interior features like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, and home improvements. But Villupuram told the Journal that the study’s ultimate goal is to create an algorithm that could be used to automate assessments of curb appeal. Villupuram says that could make it easier for large investors, banks, and institutions to include such assessments in their property appraisals.

Sources:National Association of Realtors

Ready to make a Move?

Bardell Real Estate are the experts in helping you with your selling, buying or renting needs near Orlando, Florida. Make your Disney area experience a forever memorable one. Call us now to speak to a real estate agent.

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