Real Estate Information | Page #14

Real Estate Information

The November Team Donovan community reports have now been updated and are available from the following link:

                                                                                Community Reports

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Keeping your Orlando vacation rental clean is essential to keep your property looking its best for holiday guests. House cleaning is a big chore, so it’s a wise investment to hire someone else to do the work for you – especially if you don’t live in the area. 

Hiring cleaning help for a short-term rental property is NOT the same as hiring someone to clean your own home. The biggest difference is that cleaning a vacation properly requires a keen attention to detail. The cleaner should notice whether anything has been damaged by a guest, or if anything is missing. It’s also helpful for them to ensure that everything is stocked up for the next renter. 

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when looking for a cleaning service that will set you up for…

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Orlando is a popular tourist destination, which is why buying a second home to use as a vacation rental can be a lucrative investment. Many people advertise their homes in websites like FlipKey, HomeAway and VRBO. That makes it important for you to create a compelling description so your short-term rental property stands out from the competition. 

Here are a few top tips to follow so you have the best chance of renting your home consistently. 

Put your guest first 

When you sit down to write the description, put yourself in your guest’s shoes. What would they want to know most about your property?  Your goal is to provide key information about your home and give the reader a sense of what it’s like to live there. Focus on the features that would…

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There are many decisions to be made when choosing to rent your Orlando vacation home on a short-term basis to holiday travelers. Some of these include whether to hire a property manager, how you should advertise your rental home, and the rental fee itself. Another decision to make is how much to charge your guests for a security deposit. 

The security deposit helps to protect your short-term vacation rental. The challenge is figuring out the right balance between enough money to cover potential damages and a small enough fee that will put renters at ease. 

No matter how long a rental agreement you set, whether it’s one or two nights, or two weeks, it’s crucial that you include everything you need to protect your investment. It’s always smart to…

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***Published on 1st October 2017***   September 'summations' From The Resort Area...   Total market inventory throughout the resort area was down 22.6% from September 2016 with 1,569 homes listed for sale compared to the 1,923 level of a year ago. September 2017 inventory by type detailed 1,514 normal owner listings, down from 1,857 a year ago, bank owned listings of 35 down 4 from 39 a year ago and 20 short sales, down from 27 twelve months ago. The average days on market that a home took to sell was 131, down 3 from the 134 day level seen a year ago but up by 1 on the 130 days of August 2017. The average percentage price achieved of a sold home when compared against listing price was 97.1% which was little changed from the 97% level of a…

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The September Team Donovan community reports have now been updated and are available from the following link:

                                                                                Community Reports

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***Published on 1st September 2017***   August 'assesment' From The Resort Area...
Resort area sales were up 12.3% up on the corresponding month last year as 372 homes changed hands during August. Homes that closed achieved an average of  97% of the listed price which was unchanged from last month and little changed from the 97.1% being achieved in August 2016. The time that it takes to sell a home stands at 130 days which is 7 less than the 137 days of August last year. The median price of an area home is $196,988 which represents an 11.1% increase from the August 2016 price of $177,183. The pipeline number of homes under contract awaiting closure stands at 571 representing a fall of 13.4% from last month but an increase of 23.3% from the…

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Home builders have been busy in Central Florida during the second quarter, constructing about 4,000 new houses – many of them vacation homes. The data comes courtesy of housing analysis firm, MetroStudy. Their survey found that the Orlando area had 14 percent year-over-year growth in homes being built, and 28 percent growth in closings. 

The home construction recovery is due in part to Orlando’s tourism industry. Many holiday visitors decide to buy new homes after they’ve spent a lot of time here. These properties are often used as a second home and as an investment property allowing owners to generate rental income from other holiday visitors. 

Osceola County, which is home to Disney World, saw a significant increase in housing starts, thanks…

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The August Team Donovan community reports have now been updated and are available from the following link:

                                                                                Community Reports

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Team Donovan real estate

Team Donovan crossed a major milestone recently in our real estate business. We have passed $250 million in sales of properties in the Orlando FL area. Our first closing was in October, 2005, and since that time we have specialized in the sale of homes in the theme park/resort area of Polk, Osceola and Lake Counties. 

Most of the homes sold during the last 12 years have been furnished vacation homes, condos or townhomes. We work with clients from around the globe, especially from the UK. 

Florida has long been a popular choice for British holiday visitors searching for a break during the dreary winter. Attractive exchange rates, low air fares, and the lure of the area theme parks, have made the Orlando area in particular a popular holiday…

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