by Elsa Soto | Sep 18, 2018 | Blog, Buyers, Investment Property in Florida, New Construction, News, Property for Sale, Property for Sale in Orlando, Real Estate News
ChampionsGate, The Retreat – Inventory Home Available
Find ChampionsGate homes for sale and be a part of the wonderful city of ChampionsGate! This up-and-coming city has brand new shopping centers and is conveniently located near all the entertainment that Orlando has to offer. With a combination of single family homes, town homes and condo’s in stunning residential and resort style vacation communities ChampionsGate offers something for everyone. Guests in the vacation home communities have access to some of the best resort amenities in Central Florida including The Oasis a 20,000 sq ft clubhouse offering luxurious surroundings along with a swimming pool, cabanas, fitness center, aerobics studio, sports courts for tennis and volleyball and more!
The Retreat at ChampionsGate has a 6 bedroom 6 bathroom Single-Family-Home available for sale and occupancy immediately! Not convinced? What if we told you that you might be offered a $15,000 buying incentive? We know purchasing a home can be a difficult process but we are here to help you every step of the way! Click the image or ‘Request Info’ below to see photos and get more information on this beautiful home!
| K159 – Fiji Floor Plan (Ready NOW) |
| $506,070 |
| 6 Bedrooms | 6 Bathrooms | 3,348 q ft |
| Up To $15,000 in Incentives |
| Spacious 2 Story Floor Plan with Covered Lanai |
by Elsa Soto | Aug 7, 2018 | Blog, Buyers, Homes, Villas and Condos, News, Property for Sale, Property for Sale in Orlando, Real Estate News
Solterra Resort – Inventory Home Available
Solterra Resort is located in heart of Four Corners, Florida which is in proximity to Disney World and every popular attractions close to it. Planned and built by prestigious builders who are known well for their Popular Vacation Home communities giving its residents the feel of an ultimate Florida Vacation. Solterra is nestled around plenty of conservation, never shying too far away from the natural habitat around. This beautiful 6 bedroom, 5 1/2 bathroom home is located just around the corner from the clubhouse making for easy access to all of its amenities! Pick and choose your finishings as you prefer, this home is entirely about you! This Belize Floor Plan will be ready to go in September 2018 but there are many other inventory homes available in Solterra Resort.
*Picture of Belize Model Home. Inventory Home available September 2018**
| 5285 Oakbourne Ave – Belize B – Solterra Resort |
| $419,240 |
| 6 Bedrooms |5.5 Bathrooms | 3,173 sq ft |
| Ready September 2018! |
| Spacious 2 Story Floor Plan with Covered Lanai |
Solterra Resort includes many amenities for a resort style community feel. Allow yourself to relax in the Cyber Cafe and catch up on the latest in the news, or work off your energy in the Fitness Center. This community was aimed for Disney visitors providing amenities that allow you to stay on property through out vacation.
-
- Grand Clubhouse
- Pool & Spa
- Large Lounge
- Cyber Cafe
- Fitness Center
- Sports Center
- Picnic Area
- Childrens Playground
by Elsa Soto | Aug 6, 2018 | Blog, Buyers, Investment Property in Florida, News, Property for Sale in Orlando, Real Estate News
Daily Mortgage Rate
Welcome to this weeks snapshot of Orlando’s Mortgage Rate Monday! Take a look at mortgage rates, particularly the 30-year fixed rates that are steadily increasing. Now has never been a better time to invest your hard earned money into something that will continue to reward you, especially with ownership!
Your Mortgage Rate is determined by the lender and can be either fixed, staying the same for the term of the mortgage, or variable, fluctuating with a benchmark interest rate. Mortgage rates vary for borrowers based on their credit profile. Here is a snap shot of the daily mortgages rates as of today, Monday, August 6, 2018. While the rates shown are not guaranteed for everyone, this gives the average buyer a good idea of what their rate should look like. We always recommend you speak with your local realtor to find the best loan program for you Orlando Home purchase. Take advantage of these mortgage rates now before it changes, contact us today!
Source: Bankrate.com
by Elsa Soto | Aug 1, 2018 | Blog, Buyers, Investment Property in Florida, News, Property for Sale, Real Estate News
So Your Offer Was Rejected? This Might Be the Real Reason Why
You loved the house so much, you made an offer—a good one. Yet for some unfathomable reason, it was rejected. What gives?
While home sellers don’t have to explain why they pass up what seems like a perfectly fine offer, trust us, they do have their reasons—and it’s not always just because a higher bidder came along. Sometimes, sorry to say, it really is you.
Worried you might be doing or saying something that’s making home sellers steer clear? Check out these stories from real-life home sellers and their real estate agents on what prompted them to pass up an offer. Consider this a list of what not to do when you really want a house.
Your offer letter revealed a little too much
“When the bids are very close, things like a personal offer letter can either help or hurt, depending on what it says,” says Andrea Gordon, a real estate agent with Red Oak Realty in Oakland, CA. “In one case, the buyer went on and on about the huge remodel he would do when he owned the house. But this was a slap in the face to my sellers, who had spent a considerable amount of money in the past five years remodeling the property. In another case, the buyers wrote a poem to the sellers, but there were spelling mistakes throughout. My seller thought it was over the top, and was appalled by their lack of proper grammar.”
Take-home lesson: There are many agents who swear by the power of a heartfelt offer letter, but make sure that you don’t in any way insult the sellers or their taste. And, apparently the grammar police are out there—you’ve been warned!
Your offer was too high—really
“I had a listing in a very sought-after neighborhood, and we immediately received two offers over list price,” says Gail Romansky at Pearson Smith Realty in Ashburn, VA. “The first offer was $15,000 over list price. The second offer was $40,000 over list price. While the latter higher offer was tempting to take, I explained that the house was not likely to appraise for this higher amount, which meant the loan might not close. So we went with the lower offer of the two.”
Take-home lesson: A higher offer isn’t always better, since lenders will only loan you as much as the house is appraised for—not a cent more. A solid, realistic offer is a much better move—or, if you do bid high, make sure you’re willing to cover the difference out of your own pocket.
Your lender was unfamiliar to the seller
“When we saw an offer from a buyer who was using an online lender we’d never heard of, it made us wary,” says Misty Weaver, a real estate agent with Samson Properties in Chantilly, VA. “That’s because we couldn’t be sure that they understood the local customs and laws, specifically if they might worry the septic system was a risk and deny the loan. A local lender would already understand.”
Take-home lesson: Often a real estate agent and seller feel more comfortable with a local lender they know. Do your research and choose the loan that’s right for you, but consider giving preference to a well-regarded local mortgage lender when possible.
You demanded a family heirloom
“My sellers had specifically excluded all the chandeliers in the house, and so they were surprised when a great offer came in—but the buyers insisted on the chandelier,” says Red Oak Realty’s Gordon. “My sellers countered that the chandeliers were family heirlooms, and they would be happy to provide a credit for the replacement of the lighting fixtures, but the buyers pushily countered that they must have those fixtures. Needless to say, the sellers sold the house to someone else.”
Take-home lesson: If you swooned over not just the house, but also something in it, go ahead and request to include it in the deal. However, if it’s something the sellers want to take, let it go. It’s not worth losing the whole house in your bid for a pretty light fixture.
You made a full-price offer, but nickel-and-dimed elsewhere
“I had a buyer submit a full-price offer and then request $10,000 toward closing costs,” says Tracey Hampson, a real estate agent at Realty One Group in Valencia, CA. “So obviously that means the sellers are not in fact getting a full-price offer, but one that’s $10,000 under.”
Take-home lesson: While sellers love to see full-price offers, don’t try to Scrooge them out of that money elsewhere—they will see right through it.
You acted like you had something to hide
“A buyer made an offer on our house, but insisted on being anonymous,” recalls Amber Watson-Tardiff, a home seller in Bordentown, NJ. “Now, this wasn’t some extravagant property where a celebrity was protecting his or her privacy. It was a twin house that was being sold for under $150,000. The real estate agent wouldn’t give us any information about the person, and the whole experience just felt so shady that we decided to pass for another offer where we didn’t feel like the buyer was either a total wacko or was playing games with us.”
Take-home lesson: Playing games or withholding routine information can make the seller doubt you and your intentions.
Your financial picture didn’t look solid enough
“I had a buyer who made an offer on a house, but they came in with a low down payment, a very high debt-to-income ratio, and a subpar credit rating,” says Kevin Deselms at Re/Max Alliance in Golden, CO. “This spooked the seller because it called into question the buyer’s ability to get their loan funded and close the transaction.”
Take-home lesson: The last thing a seller wants is to get ready to close, only to discover that the buyer cannot complete the transaction and thus send them back to the drawing board. Make sure you’ve cleaned up your credit and have your finances in order before making an offer.
Are you interested in talking through how to make the best offer? Contact one of our experienced agents today to gain the best advice to help better your investments. Buying a property takes time and strategy, we want to help you into your new home, TODAY!
by Elsa Soto | Jul 27, 2018 | Real Estate News, Blog, Homes, Villas and Condos, Investment Property in Florida, News
What to Look For in a Fixer-Upper: Signs the Home Isn’t a Money Pit
Renovating a fixer-upper is not for the faint of heart. It takes money, hard work, and patience. But if you’re able to pull off a successful transformation, you’ll reap the benefits.
“Fixing up a house is an incredible opportunity, but should never be viewed as a TV show. It’s real life,” says Elizabeth Enright Phillips, a financial coach at Running Creek Properties in Lancaster, OH, who has renovated nearly a dozen properties.
Best-case scenario: You’ll end up building your dream home and increasing the value of the property. But fixing up a
ramshackle house can cost a fortune. Unforeseen problems can surface that will make your fixer-upper a real money pit.
When looking at real estate listings, you’ll notice that no two fixer-uppers are the same. One may have sat vacant for a while, another may be in desperate need of a new roof, and another may have a mold infestation. Each of these scenarios will cost money to rectify, but some situations are more manageable than others.
To help you out, we tapped experts to identify the features and characteristics you should look for in a fixer-upper, to make the renovation go much more smoothly. On your hunt for that hidden gem of a fixer-upper, keep your eye out for the following signs.
Strong structural elements
A solid structure is ideal for any home, but it’s especially critical when you’re buying a fixer-upper. If the home has a crumbling foundation or serious roof problems, you’ll have to decide if you’re willing to pay to repair this type of damage.
These are the five important structural elements:
- Roof
- Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Foundation
Mike Coughlin, owner of Summit Design Build in Stoneham, MA, says you can get a good idea of the house’s structure by exploring the basement, attic, and unfinished areas. Focus on those areas rather than the pretty, recent additions to the home.
“You want to look at the basement rather than the granite counters and new bathroom fixtures. All of that shiny stuff is really easy to fix,” says Coughlin, who is working on a nearly 300-year-old home that he bought with his wife, Francine. “The stuff behind the walls is what’s more important. As long as the bones are good, you can pretty much do anything.”
Only minor plumbing problems
There’s a good chance that your fixer-upper will need plumbing work. Depending on the scope of the project, the work will be either a quick fix or a significant undertaking that will eat into your budget. Some fixer-uppers may have low water pressure (fairly minor problem), while others may have pipes that need to be replaced (a big problem).
Before buying a fixer-upper, make sure you’re comfortable with the amount of plumbing work required to bring the place up to snuff.
That said, you shouldn’t immediately flee any fixer-uppers that need plumbing work. If you really love the house, it’s all about balancing costs and diverting money from one project to another.
A sound layout
A logical layout is important in any home (no one wants to walk down a long hall to get to the guest bathroom), but it’s especially critical when you’re looking at an old home. Older homes are often divided into small rooms, but many people in this decade favor an open floor plan.
“The entire family wants to be connected; no one wants to be stuck back in the kitchen when everyone else is hanging out. With an open floor plan, there is no separation between the zones of the house,” says Jean Brownhill, founder and CEO at New York City–based Sweeten, which matches people who have major renovation projects with general contractors.
If you envision needing to knock down walls to create a more open, airy interior, know that the job can be expensive, time-consuming, and dusty.
Little to no infestations
It’s not uncommon to encounter a fixer-upper that has an infestation, be it mice, termites, mold, dry rot, or asbestos. A minor issue such as mice can be resolved by putting out traps and filling holes in the house. However, severe termite damage could require a costly solution, including lifting the house (yes, right off the ground) to access the foundation and check for further damage.
A seller is required to disclose such infestations, but a home inspector will also uncover any issues during the inspection that may occur after the house goes into contract.
If you find any of these problems in your fixer-upper, it’s a good idea to get an estimate from a contractor to resolve the issue.
Recent occupation
Buying a foreclosed home that’s sat dormant for a few years might get you a low sale price, but it may also present a challenge when you start renovating it.
“You never know what’s going on with plumbing behind the walls,” Coughlin says of homes that stand empty for an extended period of time. Maybe the water wasn’t turned off properly in the winter, which can cause the pipes to freeze, split, and leak.
A home without humans can also become a refuge for critters such as squirrels and bats.
“We have found dead mice and rats and a live mother possum feeding her two babies in attics,” says William Begal, president of Begal Enterprises, a disaster restoration company in Rockville, MD.
All of these problems can be fixed—they’ll just add more to your bottom-line costs.
There is always something to considering when you are in the market for purchasing a home. The exterior and curb appeal may get you in but if the bones aren’t sound you have to make the decision as to whether you are willing to put the money into fixing the issues. Are you ready to take on a fixer upper and know the area you are looking to move to? Get in touch with one of our experienced agents who will be able to help guide you in the right direction!
