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        <title> </title>
        <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/</link>
        <description>Explore our comprehensive real estate blog with seller guides, market insights, and calculators. Learn everything about selling your Orlando home with Team Donovan's education library.</description>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/orlando-real-estate-market-news---august-2026---published---1st-september-2026.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/orlando-real-estate-market-news---august-2026---published---1st-september-2026.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>ORLANDO REAL ESTATE MARKET NEWS - August 2026 - Published - 1st September 2026</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
***Published on 1st September 2026***


August 'averages&quot; from the Resort Area Market... 


August's median price was unchanged from July at $380,000, and down 2.6 from the corresponding month in 2025, when the median price was $390,000. The average number of days it took for a home to sell and close in August was 146, the same as July and 15 days higher than a year ago. The average number of days a home spent on the market over the last 30 days was 104, compared with a 105-day average over the past 12-month period. The overall resort area saw 308 closings in August, down from 373 in July but above the 291 recorded in August 2025. The number of homes recorded as Pending — under offer/contract — totalled 522, the same as last month but above the 499 recorded a year ago. Homes that changed hands in August sold for an average of 97.1 of their final listed price, down from 98.0 twelve months ago.  During August, the resort area recorded 274 homes withdrawn from the market after failing to attract a buyer while listed. Overall inventory fell month-on-month from 3,379 in July to a revised 3,355 in August. Current inventory levels, measured against the pace of sales, indicate a 10.9-month supply of available homes — above the 9.0-month supply recorded in July but below the 12.4-month supply recorded in August 2025







Resort Area


The Numbers — August 2026













Median Price


$380,000


▼ 2.6 vs August 2025






Closings


308


above 291 in August 2025






Pending Sales


522


499 a year ago






Sale-to-List


97.1


98.0 a year ago






Active Inventory


3,355


▼ from 3,379 in July






Months of Supply


10.9


below 12.4 last year














Closings — year over year






291









373









308











Aug 2025


Jul 2026


Aug 2026








Months of supply — year over year






12.4









9.0









10.9











Aug 2025


Jul 2026


Aug 2026








Source: Team Donovan resort-area data, August 2026. Lower months of supply indicates a tighter market.






 Orlando.. 


Orlando's residential market cooled slightly in July. The median home price was $410,494, down from $416,308 in June but up from $402,655 in July 2025. Overall sales fell 7.4 month over month, from 2,936 in June to 2,720 in July. Homes spent an average of 64 days on the market, up from 62 days in June. Interest rates held steady at 6.5 for the third consecutive month, per Freddie Mac. Inventory declined 1.8 from June to July, from 12,260 to 12,043 homes. New listings fell 7.0, from 4,008 to 3,727. Months of supply rose from 4.2 to 4.4, still below the six-month threshold considered a balanced market. By property type, 2,140 single-family homes sold in July at a median price of $446,375, down 7.3 from 2,309 sales in June, but up from 2,001 sales in July 2025. Condo/townhouse sales totaled 580 in July at a median price of $299,911, down 7.5 from 627 sales in June, but up from 533 sales in July 2025. Foreclosures and short sales accounted for 11 transactions, or 0.4 of all home sales in July.  







Orlando Metro


The Numbers — July 2026













Median Price


$410,494


above $402,655 in July 2025






Closings


2,720


▼ 7.4 vs June






Months of Supply


4.4


▲ from 4.2 in June






New Listings


3,727


▼ 7.0 vs June






Days on Market


64


▲ from 62 in June






Avg Mortgage Rate


6.5


unchanged for three months














Median price by property type






$446,375









$299,911











Single-family


Condo / townhome








Closings — month on month






2,936









2,720











Jun 2026


Jul 2026








Source: Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association, July 2026.






Florida...


Florida's housing market extended its run of year-over-year growth in July, marking the 11th consecutive month of year-over-year closed sales gains across both major property categories, according to Florida Realtors® data. Single-family closed sales rose just over 5 compared to July 2025, while condo and townhouse sales increased by a larger margin of 11 over the same period. New pending sales of single-family homes rose nearly 2.5 year over year in July, representing the 12th consecutive month of year-over-year growth in this metric. On the supply side, inventory continued to tighten across both segments: single-family inventory fell almost 13.5 year over year, while condo and townhouse inventory declined just under 13 over the same period. Pricing showed divergence between the two property types. The single-family median sale price rose 3.7 year over year to $425,000. In contrast, the condo and townhouse median sale price held steady at $295,000, showing no year-over-year change.







Florida


The Numbers — July 2026













SF Median Price


$425,000


▲ 3.7 year-on-year






Condo/TH Median


$295,000


unchanged year-on-year






SF Closed Sales


5+


year-on-year growth






Condo/TH Sales


11


year-on-year growth






SF Inventory


▼ 13.5


year-on-year






Condo/TH Inventory


▼ 13


year-on-year














Median price — by segment






$425K









$295K











Single-family


Condo / townhouse








Closed-sales growth — year over year






5+









11











Single-family


Condo / townhouse








Source: Florida REALTORS®, July 2026.






U.S...


 Existing home sales fell 1.7 month-on-month in July to 4.06 million units (annualized), in line with expectations. The single-family segment led the decline, down 1.9 to 3.69 million, while condo/co-op sales held flat at 370,000 for the sixth consecutive month. Regional activity was mixed: sales fell 3.1 in the South and 2.0 in the Midwest, stayed flat in the West, and rose 2.0 in the Northeast, which is recovering from an earlier slump this year.  Inventory stood at 1.54 million units, down 1.9 from June and 0.6 lower than July 2025. On a seasonally adjusted basis, unsold inventory represented 4.2 months' supply, edging down from 4.3 months in June but still within the balanced range of 4-6 months. The median home price rose 2.0 year-on-year, a slight deceleration from 2.3 growth the prior month.  Mortgage rates averaged 6.59 for a 30-year fixed loan in September, down from 6.72 in July, according to Freddie Mac. 







United States


The Numbers — July 2026













Existing Sales


4.06M


▼ 1.7 vs June






Single-Family Sales


3.69M


▼ 1.9 vs June






Condo/Co-op Sales


370K


flat for six months






Months of Supply


4.2


▼ from 4.3 in June






Active Inventory


1.54M


▼ 1.9 vs June






30-Yr Mortgage


6.59


down from 6.72 in July














Existing-home sales — annualised rate






3.69M









370K











Single-family


Condo / co-op








Months of supply — month on month






4.3









4.2











Jun 2026


Jul 2026








Source: National Association of REALTORS®, July 2026; Freddie Mac PMMS.











Closing Numbers · August 28th 2026











1 GBP buys 1.358 USD1 USD buys 0.736 GBP


1 EURO buys 1.164 USD1 USD buys 0.858 EURO


1 CAN $ buys 0.7211 USD buys 1.385 CAN $








U.S Federal Prime Interest Rate = 6.75   


Team Donovan publishes this updated monthly report on the 1st of each month for the benefit of all Worldwide Central Florida owners. We update and publish our individual community reports on the 15th of each month. If you are considering selling your property in the future, please feel free to contact us; we would be delighted to discuss marketing your home in more detail.



LOOKING TO SELL? - CONTACT TEAM DONOVAN




 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:51:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/82-unit-townhome-community-for-sale-davenport-florida.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/82-unit-townhome-community-for-sale-davenport-florida.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>82-Unit Townhome Community for Sale | $32.9M Near Disney</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 





Team Donovan Investment Opportunity


82-Unit Newly Built Townhome Community Offered for $32.9 Million Near Walt Disney World





A rare opportunity to acquire an entire completed Central Florida community — 82 townhomes, 13 buildings, amenities, infrastructure and land in a single transaction.


Request Investment Package Call James Donovan






82


Townhome Units






13


Completed Buildings






124,874


Residential SF






$32.9M


Guide Price











Team Donovan is pleased to introduce a unique 82-unit investment opportunity in Davenport, Florida, positioned within the rapidly growing Walt Disney World, ChampionsGate and Reunion corridor.


Offered at a guide price of $32.9 million, the newly constructed community provides a potential purchaser with something increasingly difficult to find in Central Florida: the ability to acquire an entire completed residential community under single ownership.







All 13 residential buildings are complete, together with roads, parking, landscaping and site infrastructure.







The Opportunity


82 Homes. One Owner. One Transaction.





The acquisition includes the homes, land, gated entrance, private roads, parking, landscaping, community amenities and infrastructure. This is not simply a bulk purchase of individual homes.


All 82 newly built three-bedroom townhomes, the underlying land, gated entrance, private internal roads, parking, landscaping, resort-style pool and community amenities are being offered together. All 13 residential buildings are complete.


For an institutional investor, family office, hospitality operator, build-to-rent group or vacation-rental company, that provides something particularly valuable.




Control of the entire asset.









The Product


82 Newly Built Three-Bedroom Townhomes





The community contains approximately 124,874 square feet of finished residential space across 13 completed buildings.






Plan A


52 Garage Residences







3 bedrooms


2.5 bathrooms


36 interior residences at 1,542 SF each — 55,512 SF total


16 corner residences at 1,567 SF each — 25,072 SF total


Attached two-car garage


All bedrooms located upstairs








Plan B


30 No-Garage Residences







3 bedrooms


3 bathrooms


22 interior residences at 1,471 SF each — 32,362 SF total


8 corner residences at 1,491 SF each — 11,928 SF total


First-floor bedroom and full bathroom


Flexible guest / multigenerational layout








The weighted average residence is approximately 1,523 square feet.






52 residences include an attached two-car garage.






Private entries, finished walkways and completed landscaping throughout.















$401,220


Approx. Price Per Door






$263.47


Approx. Price Per SF






100


Buildings Complete






3 BR


Every Residence











Delivered, Not Planned


A Completed Community Without Development Risk





Building an 82-unit residential community in Central Florida today involves considerably more than construction costs. A developer must acquire land, complete planning and entitlement work, pay impact fees, arrange financing, install roads and infrastructure, construct amenities and carry the project through what can become a multi-year development timeline.


Here, that work has already been completed.


A purchaser is acquiring a finished asset rather than a development project. All 82 homes and 13 buildings have been constructed together with the community infrastructure and amenity package. There is no phased construction schedule for an incoming owner to complete and no need to assemble individual properties from multiple sellers.




Acquire the completed asset today. Determine the optimal operating strategy tomorrow.









Specification


Community Amenities &amp; Property Features





The property has been designed as a complete residential community rather than simply a collection of townhomes.






Community Features







Resort-style swimming pool


Gated controlled entrance


Covered barbecue and picnic area


Children's playground


Fenced dog run


Private internal roads


Guest parking


Completed landscaping and site infrastructure








Residence Features







Quartz countertops


42-inch cabinetry


Full LG appliance package


Luxury vinyl plank flooring


Smart Wi-Fi thermostats


Window blinds included


James Hardie fiber-cement siding


2x6 exterior wall framing


Fire sprinklers in every residence


Individually metered utilities


















Private internal roads, guest parking and completed site infrastructure are included in the sale.







Qualified Purchasers


Request the Confidential Investment Package


Additional information is available to qualified prospective purchasers.


Request Information Call 407-705-2128







Operating Flexibility


One Asset — Multiple Potential Strategies





Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the acquisition is the potential flexibility available to the next owner.


According to information supplied by the seller, the property is currently held as a single fee-simple parcel and no homeowners association has been recorded. Any purchaser should independently verify title, zoning, rental permissibility and all regulatory matters during due diligence. Subject to those matters, the existing ownership structure creates several potential strategies.




1. Create a Branded Vacation Rental Resort


Central Florida contains thousands of individually owned vacation homes. That traditional model often means separate owners, different furniture packages, different managers and individual properties competing against one another across the same booking platforms.


An 82-home community under one owner presents a very different opportunity. A hospitality or vacation-rental operator could evaluate creating its own branded destination with centralized reservations, housekeeping, marketing, revenue management, direct booking and control over the complete guest experience.


Rather than managing 82 unrelated properties, the residences could potentially be operated as one hospitality business.






2. Build-to-Rent


The community can also be evaluated as a conventional long-term residential rental asset. Every residence contains three bedrooms with a weighted average size of 1,523 square feet, while 52 residences include attached two-car garages.






3. A Blended Rental Strategy


The 82 homes are divided between 13 separate buildings, potentially allowing an owner to segment inventory between different rental strategies, subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The operating mix could then be adjusted as market conditions change.






4. Future Individual Retail Sales


A future owner may evaluate establishing the appropriate association and ownership structure to allow individual residences to be released into the retail market over time, subject to the appropriate legal, governmental and title processes.






5. Joint Venture


The seller has also indicated a willingness to consider an appropriate joint-venture structure, providing another potential route for qualified investors or operating partners.









Location


The Walt Disney World, ChampionsGate &amp; Reunion Corridor





Location is a major part of the investment story. The community is located in Davenport, Florida, within one of Central Florida's most established resort and residential growth corridors.




Private internal roads, sidewalks and landscaped islands throughout the community.






Approximate Distances


Interstate 4 / ChampionsGate Adjacent


ChampionsGate dining &amp; commercial district ± 2 miles


Reunion Resort ± 4 miles


Walt Disney World Resort ± 7 miles


Universal Orlando Resort ± 22 miles


Orlando International Airport ± 30 miles







The area benefits from two significant demand drivers. The first is Central Florida's tourism and hospitality economy. The second is the continued expansion of Davenport and Polk County as a residential, logistics and employment market.


The location also benefits from the established vacation-rental management, housekeeping, hospitality and service infrastructure already operating throughout the Disney-area resort corridor.







Scale


Why Single Ownership Matters





Most resort-area communities in Central Florida contain hundreds of individually owned properties. Even where vacation rentals are permitted, an investor attempting to build meaningful scale normally has to acquire homes individually.






Different sellers


Different prices


Different furnishings


Different property conditions


Different closing dates


Different locations


No control over the remainder of the community






This opportunity is fundamentally different. One transaction provides control of all 82 residences together with the community itself.


That creates operational possibilities that scattered resale inventory simply cannot reproduce.



82 residences, 13 buildings and the community itself — acquired in one transaction.







Guide Price


$32.9 Million





The entire 82-unit community is being offered at a guide price of $32.9 million.


Qualified purchasers will have access to a more comprehensive confidential diligence package containing additional property, construction, ownership and underwriting information.


The seller is prepared to evaluate both a conventional acquisition and appropriate joint-venture proposals.







Enquiries


Interested in the 82-Unit Davenport Community?


Institutional investors, private equity groups, family offices, hospitality operators, vacation-rental companies, build-to-rent investors and other qualified purchasers are invited to contact Team Donovan.


Request Confidential Package Call / Text James














James Donovan | TEAM DONOVAN


Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker · 7677 Dr. Phillips Blvd. 200, Orlando, Florida 32819


Call / Text / WhatsApp: 407-705-2128 Email: James@TDFlorida.com Website: TDFlorida.com











About Team Donovan


Team Donovan is an Orlando-based real estate brokerage specializing in vacation homes, resort property and investment real estate throughout the Central Florida tourism corridor.


Led by James Donovan, Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker, Team Donovan works with domestic and international owners, buyers and investors throughout the Orlando and Walt Disney World resort-property market.


Team Donovan represents the seller in this transaction.







Important Information


This article is provided for informational and marketing purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to purchase, or investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. Property specifications, pricing, availability, construction information, title structure, association status, rental permissibility, zoning, market information and financial information are based on information supplied by the seller and/or third-party sources believed to be reliable but are not warranted or guaranteed by Team Donovan. All prospective purchasers should independently verify all information and conduct their own legal, financial, physical and operational due diligence. Pricing and availability are subject to change or withdrawal without notice.




 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 18:14:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/floridays-resort-orlando-launches-a-unit-renovation-programme.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/floridays-resort-orlando-launches-a-unit-renovation-programme.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>Floridays Resort Orlando Launches a Unit Renovation Programme</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 


Published August 13 2026


Floridays Resort Orlando Launches a Unit Renovation Programme — What Owners Need to Know





Floridays Resort Orlando has announced a unit renovation programme for owners, beginning with a Basic Package priced at an estimated $13,200 for a two-bedroom suite and $14,900 for a three-bedroom suite. The announcement went out to owners from the resort's Owner Services team, and the package covers a full interior refresh of the unit — countertops, lighting, paint, hardware and life-safety upgrades — with all materials, labour, taxes and freight included in the quoted figure.


For the 432 condo-hotel suites at Floridays, this is a significant announcement. Here is what is in the package, what it costs, and what it may mean for you — whether you currently own at the resort or are considering buying there.


What the Basic Package Includes


The Basic Package is a whole-unit refresh rather than a single-room update. Room by room, it covers:






Kitchen


Quartz countertops, new sink &amp; faucet, lighting upgrade






Dining Area


Lighting upgrade, quartz countertop for the computer desk






Living Room


Ceiling fan upgrade, lighting upgrade, 55&quot; Smart TV






Bedrooms


New lampshades, ceiling fan upgrade






Bathrooms


Quartz countertop with faucet &amp; hardware, new mirror, lighting upgrade, jacuzzi window






Throughout the Unit


Full interior paint, updated outlets &amp; receptacles, A/C vents, door hardware, fire &amp; life-safety equipment






The Owner Investment


The estimated total investment is $13,200 for a two-bedroom unit and $14,900 for a three-bedroom unit. The resort breaks this down as an estimated expense of $12,530 plus a $440 contingency and $230 freight for the two-bedroom, and $14,200 plus $500 contingency and $200 freight for the three-bedroom. All costs — materials, labour, taxes and freight — are included in those figures, though the resort notes pricing is an estimate and subject to change based on material availability and market conditions.






Floridays Resort Orlando


Basic Package — Estimated Owner Investment











2 Bedroom Unit


$13,200






3 Bedroom Unit


$14,900








Source: Floridays Resort Orlando Owner Services, August 2026. Estimates include materials, labour, taxes and freight; subject to change.






Why the Resort Is Doing This


The resort's stated goals for the programme are fivefold: an improved guest experience (higher satisfaction and better reviews), stronger rental performance (staying competitive in the Orlando market), protecting and enhancing property value, a modern look and feel with fresh, updated finishes throughout, and safety and code compliance through life-safety upgrades. Floridays opened in the late 2000s, so most units are now well past fifteen years old — and in a resort rental programme, dated interiors show up quickly in guest reviews and nightly-rate performance.


What It Means for Current Owners


Whether the investment makes sense depends on how you use your unit and how long you plan to hold it. Some context from the current resale market at Floridays: as of mid-July 2026 there were 26 units listed for sale, with 15 sold in the previous six months at an average of 94 of asking price and an average of 180 days on market. Against typical unit values at the resort, the Basic Package represents a fairly modest share of what a suite is worth — you can see current asking and sold prices any time on our Floridays community report.


With more than two dozen units competing for buyers at any given time, condition is one of the few things an individual owner can control. A renovated unit stands out in the rental programme — where revenue is driven by guest ratings and rate — and it stands out again at resale, where tired interiors are a common reason units sit at 180 days on market. Owners planning to sell in the near term should weigh whether the full cost would be recovered in the sale price; owners holding for rental income have a clearer case, since the upgrades go straight to the guest experience the rental programme is priced on.


What It Means for Buyers


If you are shopping at Floridays, the renovation programme changes the maths in two ways. First, expect a growing split between renovated and original-condition units — and price accordingly. An original-condition unit listed below a renovated one may be closer in real cost than it appears once you add the package to the purchase price. Second, the programme itself is a positive signal: resorts that invest in keeping units competitive tend to hold their rental performance and values better than those that let the product age. Ask whether a unit you are considering has had the package completed, is scheduled for it, or has not opted in.


Questions About the Programme?


For package details, scheduling and payment, contact Floridays Owner Services directly on (321) 329-4036 or at Ownerservices@phmemail.com.


For an up-to-date view of the resale market at the resort, see our monthly Floridays Resort Orlando community report, refreshed with the latest for-sale and sold data.




Looking to Sell?


Own at Floridays and wondering what your unit is worth — renovated or not? We track every listing and sale at the resort and can give you a straight answer on pricing, timing and whether the renovation would pay for itself in your situation.

Get a Free Valuation






James Donovan | TEAM DONOVAN


Call / Text / WhatsApp: 407-705-2128 Email: James@TDFlorida.com  |  Website: www.TDFlorida.com Office: 7677 Dr. Phillips Blvd. 200, Orlando, Florida 32819






Renovation package details and pricing are provided by Floridays Resort Orlando Owner Services, are estimates only, and are subject to change based on material availability and market conditions. Market figures from Team Donovan's Floridays Resort Orlando community report, July 2026.


 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:48:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/the-one-big-beautiful-bill--orlando-vacation-homes-what-100-bonus-depreciation-means-for-buyers.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/the-one-big-beautiful-bill--orlando-vacation-homes-what-100-bonus-depreciation-means-for-buyers.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>The One Big Beautiful Bill &amp; Orlando Vacation Homes: What 100 Bonus Depreciation Means for Buyers</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Published August 11 2026


The One Big Beautiful Bill &amp; Orlando Vacation Homes: What 100 Bonus Depreciation Means for Buyers


Signed into law on July 4 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) — widely known simply as the “Big Beautiful Bill” — made the most significant changes to US real estate taxation in nearly a decade. For buyers of vacation homes and short-term rentals in the Disney corridor, one provision stands above the rest: 100 bonus depreciation is back, and this time it is permanent.


Below is a plain-English guide to what the bill changed, how it applies specifically to resort-area homes in communities such as Reunion Resort, ChampionsGate, Windsor Hills and Emerald Island, and what overseas buyers need to know. As always: we are real estate brokers, not tax advisers — confirm anything here with a qualified CPA before acting on it.


100 Bonus Depreciation Is Back — Permanently


Under the previous law, bonus depreciation was phasing out fast: 60 in 2024, 40 in 2025, and on course for 0 by 2027. The Big Beautiful Bill reversed that completely. For qualifying property acquired and placed in service after January 19 2025, buyers can once again write off 100 of eligible costs in the first year — and unlike the 2017 version, there is no scheduled sunset date.


The important nuance: bonus depreciation does not apply to the building itself, which still depreciates over 27.5 years. It applies to personal property and land improvements — and this is precisely where a fully furnished Orlando resort home shines. A cost segregation study on a typical vacation rental reclassifies roughly 20–30 of the purchase price into 5-, 7- and 15-year property: furniture packages, appliances, flooring, the pool deck, landscaping, fencing and paving. All of it now qualifies for an immediate 100 first-year deduction.


The Short-Term Rental “7-Day Rule”


Depreciation deductions are usually trapped as “passive losses” that can only offset rental income. Short-term rentals are the well-known exception. Where the average guest stay is 7 days or less — the norm in the Disney-area resort market — the property is not treated as a “rental activity” under the passive loss rules at all.


If the owner also materially participates (the most common test being 100+ hours per year, and more than anyone else — managing bookings, guest communication, pricing and turnovers), losses generated by bonus depreciation can offset ordinary income, including W-2 wages, without needing real estate professional status. This is why the strategy is often called the short-term rental loophole, and the Big Beautiful Bill just made it dramatically more valuable. Buyers using full-service third-party management typically will not meet the test — the losses are not lost, but they carry forward against rental income instead.


A Worked Example


Take an illustrative $550,000 fully furnished 5-bedroom pool home in a short-term-rental community near Disney. Excluding land value, the depreciable basis might be around $470,000. A cost segregation study reclassifying 28 into short-life property would produce roughly $130,000–$140,000 of first-year bonus depreciation. For a buyer in the 32 federal bracket who meets the material participation tests, that is potentially $40,000+ in first-year federal tax savings — on a property that also books Disney-driven guest demand year round. (Illustrative only; your figures will differ — model it with your CPA before you write an offer.)


One honest caveat: accelerated depreciation is a deferral, not a gift. Depreciation is recaptured when you sell — though a 1031 exchange, which the bill left fully intact, can defer that too.






One Big Beautiful Bill


The Numbers — Key Figures for Buyers













Bonus Depreciation


100


▲ from 40 — now permanent






Applies From


Jan 19 2025


acquired &amp; placed in service






STR Test


≤7 days


average guest stay






SALT Cap


$40,000


▲ from $10,000 (2025–29)






QBI Deduction


20


made permanent






1031 Exchanges


Unchanged


fully preserved






Source: One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21), signed July 4 2025. Not tax advice.






The strategy works anywhere in the resort corridor, but the numbers pencil best where short-term rental zoning and guest demand are strongest: the resort communities of Kissimmee, Davenport and Clermont along the US-27 and I-4 corridor, and gated resorts such as Reunion Resort, all within 15–25 minutes of Disney.


The Other Wins for Vacation Home Buyers


SALT cap raised to $40,000. From 2025 through 2029 the state-and-local-tax deduction cap quadruples from $10,000 to $40,000 (rising 1 per year), phasing back down for incomes above $500,000. For buyers from high-tax states — New York, New Jersey, California, Illinois — who itemize, this frees up meaningful room, and Florida of course adds no state income tax of its own.


Mortgage interest deduction made permanent. The $750,000 acquisition-debt limit, due to expire at the end of 2025, is now permanent — and it covers a second home, which includes a vacation home used personally part of the year.


Mortgage insurance premiums deductible again. From tax year 2026, PMI on acquisition debt is treated as deductible mortgage interest — relevant to buyers financing with less than 20 down.


QBI deduction locked in. The 20 qualified business income deduction, which many STR owners claim on net rental profits, was made permanent rather than expiring after 2025.


What About UK and Other Overseas Buyers?


The headline benefits are not US-citizens-only. Overseas owners who file US returns on a net-income basis for their rental property claim depreciation the same way — including 100 bonus depreciation on cost-segregated short-life property — which can shelter US rental profits for years. The interaction with your home country's tax rules is a separate question (the UK, for example, calculates its own tax on the same income under its own rules), so cross-border buyers should take advice on both sides of the Atlantic. We have specialised in overseas ownership for over 20 years — our guide for UK owners of Orlando property covers the selling side, including FIRPTA.


Frequently Asked Questions






Does the Big Beautiful Bill's 100 bonus depreciation apply to vacation homes?




Yes, when the home is operated as a short-term rental business. Bonus depreciation applies to the personal property and land improvements identified in a cost segregation study — typically 20–30 of a furnished resort home's price — not to the building itself. Purely personal-use second homes do not qualify.








Is 100 bonus depreciation really permanent?




The One Big Beautiful Bill Act sets no expiry date, unlike the 2017 law which phased down annually. “Permanent” in tax law means until Congress changes it — but there is currently no scheduled reduction.








Can depreciation losses from an Orlando short-term rental offset my regular salary?




Potentially, yes. If the average guest stay is 7 days or less and you materially participate in running the rental (commonly 100+ hours per year and more than anyone else), the activity is non-passive and losses can offset W-2 and other ordinary income. If you use full-service management and don't materially participate, losses carry forward against rental income instead. Confirm your position with a CPA.








Can non-US residents claim bonus depreciation on an Orlando vacation home?




Overseas owners who elect to have their US rental income taxed on a net basis file a US return and claim depreciation — including bonus depreciation — like any other owner. Home-country tax treatment differs, so take advice in both countries.










Thinking of Buying a Vacation Home Near Disney?


Team Donovan has specialised exclusively in Orlando vacation home and short-term rental sales for over 22 years, with 2,500+ closed transactions — including hundreds for overseas buyers. Explore homes in Emerald Island, Windsor Hills, ChampionsGate and Reunion Resort, or check current market data in our community reports, updated on the 15th of every month.

Contact Team Donovan


Disclaimer: Team Donovan, Inc. is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage. Nothing in this article constitutes tax, legal or financial advice. Tax outcomes depend on your individual circumstances — always consult a qualified CPA or tax adviser, and for cross-border buyers, an adviser in your home country, before making decisions based on the tax treatment described here.


 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:19:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/seller-net-sheet-calculator-blog.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/seller-net-sheet-calculator-blog.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>Know Your Bottom Line: Introducing Our Seller Net Sheet Calculator</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Seller Net Sheet Calculator: Know Your Net Proceeds | Team Donovan
 
 




Know Your Bottom Line: Introducing Our Seller Net Sheet Calculator


Selling your home is one of the biggest financial transactions of your life. But between commission, taxes, insurance, and closing costs, it can be hard to figure out exactly what you'll walk away with. That's why we built the Seller Net Sheet Calculator—to give you instant clarity on your net proceeds before you list.


Launch the Calculator


Why Transparency Matters in Your Home Sale


When you're selling your home in Central Florida, there's a lot happening behind the scenes. Property taxes, title insurance, documentary stamp taxes—the list goes on. Many sellers are surprised when they reach closing only to discover how much these costs add up. Our calculator takes the guesswork out of the equation by showing you an itemized breakdown of every expense, so there are no surprises.


Understanding your net proceeds from selling a home helps you make better decisions about whether to list now or wait, how to price your property competitively, and what to expect at closing.


What the Seller Net Sheet Calculator Shows You


Our tool gives you a complete, transparent picture of your selling costs, including:




Commission breakdown - Customizable for both your listing agent and buyer's broker compensation


Tax estimates - Documentary stamp taxes on your deed based on your sale price


Title insurance and closing costs - Owner's title insurance, title search, and lien search fees


Your net proceeds - The bottom line: what you'll actually receive after all costs


FIRPTA withholding information - For non-US resident sellers




Built for Orlando-Area Home Sellers


Whether you're selling a condo in downtown Orlando, a single-family home in the suburbs, or an investment property, this tool is designed specifically for Central Florida's market conditions and tax structures. You can adjust every input to match your specific situation, ensuring the estimates are as accurate as possible for your property.


The calculator uses current Central Florida closing cost averages and tax rates, so you get realistic numbers tailored to your market—not generic national estimates.


Special Feature: FIRPTA Information for International Sellers




If you're a non-US resident selling Florida property, there's additional complexity—specifically the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA). Our calculator includes a dedicated section explaining the federal withholding requirement (up to 15 of your sale price) and information about the potential refund process. For international sellers, this transparency is invaluable for tax planning.




Customize Every Detail to Your Situation


Every sale is unique, so our calculator lets you:




Enter your estimated sale price


Adjust commission percentages


Specify your mortgage payoff amount


Indicate your residency status


Choose your preferred currency (USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, or BRL)




This flexibility means you can run multiple scenarios—asking &quot;what if I sell at $400K vs. $450K?&quot;—to see how different sale prices impact your net proceeds.


Export and Share Your Results


Once you've run the numbers, you can email your results or download them as a PDF. This makes it easy to:




Share estimates with financial advisors and accountants


Keep records for tax planning


Review before your listing appointment with a real estate agent


Compare scenarios with family members or co-owners




No Hidden Fees—True Transparency




Here's something we're proud of: Team Donovan charges a 2.5 listing commission, and that's it. Professional photography, social media marketing, targeted advertising, and comprehensive marketing support are all included—not charged separately. Our calculator reflects this transparency, so you're not shocked by unexpected brokerage fees at closing.




How to Use the Seller Net Sheet Calculator




Visit the calculator on our website


Enter your estimated sale price and other specific details


Review the itemized breakdown of all costs and your estimated net proceeds


Adjust any inputs to test different scenarios or sale prices


Export or email your results for your records and to share with your accountant or advisor




Use the Calculator Now


Why Use Our Calculator?


Free and Easy - No sign-up required, no fees, and takes just minutes to get your numbers.


Accurate for Central Florida - Reflects real closing costs, tax rates, and market conditions specific to the Orlando area.


Comprehensive - Includes every major cost category, not just commission estimates.


Flexible Scenarios - Run as many calculations as you want to understand different outcomes.


Seller-Focused - Designed to empower you with knowledge before you make listing decisions.


Plan Your Finances With Confidence


Selling your home should be a confident decision, not a guessing game. The Seller Net Sheet Calculator empowers you to understand your financial picture before you commit to listing. Whether you're contemplating a sale or ready to move forward, this tool is here to help you make informed decisions based on real numbers.


Take control of your home sale finances today and see exactly what you can expect to net from your sale.


Calculate Your Net Proceeds Today




Frequently Asked Questions




What is a seller net sheet calculator?


A seller net sheet calculator is a tool that estimates your net proceeds after selling a home by factoring in all closing costs, commissions, taxes, and fees. Our calculator provides an itemized breakdown specific to Central Florida market conditions.






How accurate is the net sheet calculator?


Our calculator provides estimates based on typical Central Florida market rates and closing costs. Actual costs may vary depending on property specifics, local taxes, title insurance rates, and other factors. Consult with your real estate agent and closing attorney for exact figures.






Is there a fee to use the seller calculator?


No, our Seller Net Sheet Calculator is completely free to use. There are no hidden fees or charges for running calculations as many times as you need.






Can I use this calculator if I'm a non-US resident?


Yes Our calculator includes special FIRPTA information for non-US resident sellers, explaining the federal withholding requirement and refund process. You can also select your preferred currency.






What costs does the calculator include?


The calculator includes listing and buyer's broker commissions, documentary stamp taxes, owner's title insurance, closing fees, title search, lien search costs, and calculates your net seller proceeds.






Can I download my results?


Yes You can export your results as a PDF or email them to yourself for your records and to share with your accountant or financial advisor.








Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for planning purposes and is based on typical Central Florida market rates and closing costs. Actual costs may vary depending on property specifics, local taxes, title insurance rates, and other factors. For exact figures, consult with your real estate agent and closing attorney.



 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:18:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/fannie-mae-condo-loan-changes-2026-condo-full-review-investor-concentration-limit-removed.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/fannie-mae-condo-loan-changes-2026-condo-full-review-investor-concentration-limit-removed.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>Fannie Mae condo loan changes 2026&quot;, &quot;condo Full Review&quot;, &quot;investor concentration limit removed</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 


Published August 5, 2026 • Financing &amp; Mortgage News


Fannie Mae &amp; Freddie Mac Condo Loan Changes 2026: What Orlando Vacation Home Buyers &amp; Sellers Need to Know


If you're buying or selling a condo in the Orlando vacation home market, the rules for conventional financing just changed — in a big way. On March 18, 2026, Fannie Mae (Lender Letter LL-2026-03) and Freddie Mac (Bulletin 2026-C) announced coordinated updates to how condominium projects are approved for conventional loans. The biggest of those changes took full effect on August 3, 2026.


Some of these changes are genuinely good news for buyers of resort condos near Disney. Others mean more paperwork and more scrutiny of the condo association itself. Here's everything explained in plain English.


The 6 Big Changes at a Glance





Small projects get a pass: Condo projects with fewer than 10 units no longer need project approval at all (previously the limit was 4 units).


The 50 investor limit is GONE: There is no longer a cap on how many units in a project can be investor-owned.


Limited Review is eliminated: Every condo loan now requires a Full Review of the association — no matter how big your down payment is.


Higher reserve requirements: Associations must budget 15 of annual assessment income for reserves, up from 10 (effective January 4, 2027).


Stricter insurance rules: The master policy must cover replacement cost — except roofs, which must be insured but not necessarily at replacement cost.


Deductible caps: An individual unit owner's policy deductible can't exceed the greater of 5 of the coverage amount or $2,500.





The Change That Matters Most in Orlando: No More Investor Limit


This is the headline for our market. For years, the biggest obstacle to conventional financing in Orlando's resort condo communities was the 50 investor concentration rule. If more than half the units in a project were owned by investors rather than full-time residents, conventional investor loans were routinely declined.


In vacation home communities near Disney — places like Tuscana Resort, Storey Lake and Windsor Hills — nearly every unit is investor-owned. That's the whole point of a vacation rental community. Under the old rule, many of these projects failed the investor test automatically, pushing buyers into cash purchases or higher-rate portfolio loans.


That barrier is now gone. The removal took effect immediately in March 2026. Buyers who want a resort condo as a short-term rental investment may now qualify for conventional financing in projects that were previously off-limits — provided the association passes the other tests below.


The Trade-Off: Every Condo Now Gets a Full Review


Here's the flip side. Until August 3, 2026, buyers putting 25 or more down on a condo could use the “Limited Review” process — a streamlined check with minimal documentation about the association. That option no longer exists.


Now, every conventional condo loan in a project with more than 10 units requires a Full Review, regardless of down payment. That means the lender will examine the association's:




Annual budget and reserve funding (moving to the new 15 standard)


HOA fee delinquency rates


Master insurance policy coverage and deductibles


Any pending litigation


Outstanding special assessments, critical repairs and deferred maintenance




In short: the health of the association now decides whether your loan closes — not just your own finances. A well-run association is a financing asset. A poorly run one can make an entire building effectively cash-only.


Key Dates to Remember






March 18, 2026


Announced &amp; investor cap removed. The 50 investor concentration limit ended immediately.






August 3, 2026


Limited Review eliminated. All loan applications from this date require a Full Review.






January 4, 2027


15 reserve rule. Association budgets must allocate 15 of assessment income to reserves.






What This Means If You're Buying a Vacation Condo


More doors are open, but do your homework earlier. Projects that were unwarrantable purely because of investor concentration may now qualify for conventional financing — potentially saving you the higher rates and larger down payments of non-warrantable portfolio loans.


But before falling in love with a unit, have your lender check whether the association passes the new Full Review. Ask early about the association's reserves, insurance and any special assessments. If the project can't pass, your options are cash, or a portfolio/non-warrantable loan. FHA and VA loans follow their own separate approval rules and are unaffected by these changes.


What This Means If You're Selling a Condo


Your association's finances are now part of your marketing. If your association has healthy reserves, current insurance and no deferred maintenance, your unit can be sold to the widest possible buyer pool — including newly eligible conventional investor buyers. That's a genuine selling advantage worth highlighting.


If your association's reserves are below the new 15 standard, expect either budget increases or higher HOA fees during 2027 — and be prepared that some conventional buyers may not get approved until the association complies. Knowing where your association stands before listing lets us price and market your unit correctly from day one.


Frequently Asked Questions


Do these changes apply to all condo loans?


No. They apply to conventional loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHA, VA and portfolio lenders have their own project approval guidelines.


Can I still buy in a mostly investor-owned resort community?


Yes — and it's now easier. The 50 investor ownership cap has been removed entirely. The project still has to pass a Full Review of its finances, insurance and condition.


Will my HOA fees go up because of the 15 reserve rule?


Possibly. Associations currently reserving 10 will need to find the additional 5 in their 2027 budgets, and for many that will mean a fee adjustment. The upside: better-funded reserves mean fewer surprise special assessments later.


Do townhomes and single-family vacation homes count?


No — these rules apply to condominium projects. Townhome and single-family communities such as most of Emerald Island, Windsor Hills villas and ChampionsGate homes are financed as standard residential purchases and are unaffected.




Buying or Selling a Condo in the Orlando Vacation Home Market?


With 22+ years and 2,500+ closed transactions in the Disney corridor, Team Donovan knows which communities pass the new lending rules — and how to position your purchase or sale accordingly.

Contact Team Donovan


Sources: Fannie Mae Lender Letter LL-2026-03 and Freddie Mac Bulletin 2026-C (March 18, 2026). This article is a general summary and not lending advice — loan eligibility is always determined by your lender.


 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:51:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/orlando-real-estate-market-news---july-2026---published---1st-august-2026.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/orlando-real-estate-market-news---july-2026---published---1st-august-2026.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>ORLANDO REAL ESTATE MARKET NEWS - July 2026 - Published - 1st August 2026</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
July &quot;numbers&quot; from the Resort Area Market...


A home that closed in July achieved an average of 97.2 of its listed price, marginally up from June but down from the 97.9 level achieved 12 months ago. The resort market registered 373 closings in July, up from 369 in June and 342 in July 2025. The July resort-area median price was $380,000, unchanged from June and below the July 2025 median price of $395,000. The average number of days a home spent on the market during July was 104, compared to an 84-day average 12 months ago, while the average days to close stood at 146. The total number of homes recorded as pending — under offer/contract — stood at 522, down from 581 last month but little changed from the 519-home pipeline recorded 12 months ago. July's sales activity saw 296 homes withdrawn after failing to attract a buyer while listed, and the overall inventory level stood at 3,379, down marginally from 3,388 in June and 6.6 below the 3,618 level seen 12 months ago. Current inventory, weighed against the existing sales pace, suggests a 9.0-month supply of available homes, down from 9.2 months in June and also below the 10.6-month supply recorded in July 2025.







Resort Area


The Numbers — July 2026













Median Price


$380,000


▼ 3.8 vs July 2025






Closings


373


▲ up from 369 in June






Pending Sales


522


519 a year ago






Sale-to-List


97.2


97.9 a year ago






Active Inventory


3,379


▼ 6.6 year-on-year






Months of Supply


9.0


▼ from 10.6 last year














Closings — year over year






342









369









373











Jul 2025


Jun 2026


Jul 2026








Months of supply — year over year






10.6









9.2









9.0











Jul 2025


Jun 2026


Jul 2026








Source: Team Donovan resort-area data, July 2026. Lower months of supply indicates a tightening market.






Orlando...


Central Florida's housing market continued its momentum in June 2026, with overall sales rising 8.0 month-on-month to 2,929 transactions, extending a streak of monthly gains throughout the year. The median home price climbed to $416,308, up from $407,002 in May and $409,631 a year earlier. Interest rates held steady at 6.5, matching May's level. Homes also moved faster, spending an average of 62 days on the market in June, down from 66 days in May. Inventory ticked up slightly to 11,924 homes, a 0.1 increase from May, even as months of supply tightened to 4.1 from 4.4 — a sign of a market leaning toward sellers. New listings grew 4.6 month-on-month to 3,978, adding fresh supply to the market. By segment, single-family home sales rose 8.1 to 2,301, with a median price of $451,922, while condo and townhouse sales increased 7.9 to 628, at a median price of $301,057. Foreclosures and short sales remained minimal, accounting for just 0.3 of all transactions in June.







Orlando Metro


The Numbers — June 2026













Median Price


$416,308


▲ 1.6 vs June 2025






Closings


2,929


▲ 8.0 vs May






Months of Supply


4.1


▼ from 4.4 in May






New Listings


3,978


▲ 4.6 vs May






Days on Market


62


▼ from 66 in May






Avg Mortgage Rate


6.5


unchanged from May














Median price by property type






$451,922









$301,057











Single-family


Condo / townhome








Closings — month on month






2,542









2,708









2,929











Apr 2026


May 2026


Jun 2026








Source: Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association, June 2026.






Florida...


Florida's housing market extended its growth streak into June 2026, marking ten consecutive months of gains despite mortgage rates near 6.5. Single-family home sales reached 26,036 statewide, up 9.3 year-on-year, with the median price hitting a record $432,000 and inventory at a 4.5-month supply. Condo and townhouse sales also grew, with 8,900 closed transactions representing a 14 increase from June 2025, while median prices held in the $301,000–$305,000 range. This segment's inventory stood at an 8.1-month supply, higher than the single-family market.







Florida


The Numbers — June 2026













SF Median Price


$432,000


▲ record high






Condo/TH Median


$301K–$305K


broadly flat






SF Closed Sales


26,036


▲ 9.3 year-on-year






Condo/TH Sales


8,900


▲ 14 year-on-year






SF Months of Supply


4.5


below balanced market






Condo/TH Supply


8.1


months of supply














Median price — by segment






$432K









$301K











Single-family


Condo / townhouse








Months of supply — by segment






4.5









8.1











Single-family


Condo / townhouse








Source: Florida REALTORS®, June 2026.






U.S...


U.S. existing-home sales slipped 2.4 month-on-month in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million, though sales were still up 2.8 on the year, according to NAR's Existing-Home Sales report. The Northeast was the only region to post monthly growth, while the Midwest, South and West all declined; on an annual basis, though, those three regions posted gains and the Northeast held flat. The single-family and condo markets diverged: single-family sales rose 3.3 year-on-year to 3.73 million despite a 2.4 monthly dip, while condo and co-op sales fell 2.7 both monthly and annually, to a rate of 360,000. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun pointed to mortgage-rate swings as the driver of month-to-month volatility, while noting that over half a million jobs added since the start of the year continue to underpin demand.


Inventory reached 1.56 million units in June — a 4.6-month supply — down slightly from May but up 1.3 year-on-year. The median existing-home price hit a record $440,600, up 1.8 annually and the 36th straight month of price growth; single-family homes led at $446,400 (also up 1.8), while condos and co-ops came in at $380,000 (up 1.6). Yun said affordability has actually improved year-on-year, as wages are outpacing home prices, but cautioned that stalled inventory growth risks reversing that progress by pushing prices higher — underscoring the need for more supply to reach the market.


Freddie Mac's weekly survey puts the average 30-year fixed-rate loan at 6.58 as of July 23, 2026, up from 6.55 the previous week.







United States


The Numbers — June 2026













Median Price


$440,600


▲ 1.8 year-on-year






Existing Sales


4.09M


▼ 2.4 vs May






Months of Supply


4.6


1.56M units listed






Single-Family Sales


3.73M


▲ 3.3 year-on-year






Condo/Co-op Median


$380,000


▲ 1.6 year-on-year






30-Yr Mortgage


6.58


Freddie Mac, 23 July














Median price by property type






$440.6K









$446.4K









$380K











All homes


Single-family


Condo / co-op








Existing-home sales — annualised rate






4.17M









4.09M











May 2026


Jun 2026








Source: National Association of REALTORS®, June 2026; Freddie Mac PMMS.







U.S. Federal Prime Interest Rate = 6.75






Closing Numbers · July 31st 2026











 1 GBP buys 1.345 USD  1 USD buys 0.743 GBP


 1 EURO buys 1.151 USD  1 USD buys 0.868 EURO


 1 CAN $ buys 0.713 USD  1 USD buys 1.401 CAN $


 1 BRL buys 0.197 USD  1 USD buys 5.063 BRL








 


Team Donovan publishes this updated monthly report on the 1st of each month for the benefit of all Orlando resort-area property owners. Our detailed community reports are updated and published on the 15th of each month.




Looking to Sell?If you are considering selling your property in the future, please feel free to contact us; we would be delighted to discuss the marketing of your home in more detail.


LOOKING TO SELL? - CONTACT TEAM DONOVAN


 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 02:02:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/amendment-3-orlando-vacation-home-property-taxflorida-amendment-3-property-taxes-vacation-home-ownership-short-term-rentals-orlando-market-buying-a-vacation-home-selling-your-vacation-home-non-resident-owners.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/amendment-3-orlando-vacation-home-property-taxflorida-amendment-3-property-taxes-vacation-home-ownership-short-term-rentals-orlando-market-buying-a-vacation-home-selling-your-vacation-home-non-resident-owners.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>Amendment 3 &amp; Your Orlando Vacation Home Tax | Team Donovan</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 


Legislation &amp; Ownership Costs


What Amendment 3 Actually Means for Your Orlando Vacation Home





Published 29 July 2026  ·  Team Donovan


Half a dozen owners have forwarded me the same article this month, usually with some version of the same question attached: is my tax bill about to be cut in half?


The short answer is no. The longer answer is more interesting, and there is one part of it that genuinely matters if you are buying or selling in the resort communities this year — though it isn’t the part being written about.


What is on the ballot


In a special session at the start of June, the Florida Legislature put a property tax amendment in front of voters for 3 November. It needs sixty per cent to pass. The headline provision raises the homestead exemption on non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, which is a substantial change for Florida residents living in their own homes.


You cannot claim homestead on a vacation home. So that provision, the one generating all the coverage, does not apply to a single property we sell.


What does apply is a much narrower clause. Non-homestead property — rentals, second homes, commercial buildings — would see the annual cap on assessment increases drop from ten per cent to five, starting 1 January 2027. That is the whole of it. No new exemption, no reduction, just a slower ceiling on how quickly the assessed value can climb.


I have seen this written up as a fifty per cent tax break. It isn’t. A cap on assessment growth is not a cut, it is insurance against fast appreciation, and in a year where values move sideways it does nothing whatsoever. It also excludes school taxes entirely, and in Osceola, Polk, Lake and Orange the school portion is a meaningful slice of what you pay. Useful, then, but a long way from the headline.


The part that actually catches people out


Here is the thing almost nobody writing about this has mentioned, and it is the reason my phone rings every November.




Know this before you sign


Non-homestead property in Florida is reassessed to full market value on the first of January after it changes hands. Whatever cap protection the seller had built up over the years disappears the moment the deed transfers. Your first tax bill is calculated from what you paid, not from the figure printed on the seller’s last statement.




Which means the five per cent cap, if it passes, does nothing for you in year one. It only starts working in year two and compounds slowly from there. It rewards owners who hold for a decade. It does nothing at all for the buyer signing this autumn.


This trips up overseas buyers constantly. Someone in Surrey or Sligo reads a listing sheet, sees the current owner’s annual taxes, builds their yield model on that number, and then gets a genuine shock the following November when the bill arrives forty per cent higher. It is entirely avoidable. Build your first-year carrying costs from your purchase price and you will not be surprised.


Sellers, the same point runs in reverse. A well-advised buyer will underwrite on the post-sale assessment rather than yours. Being able to hand them that figure yourself, accurately, kills the objection before it is raised.


Insurance, briefly


There is real relief here, though not the version doing the rounds. Citizens, the state-backed insurer of last resort, had personal lines reductions approved averaging around nine per cent statewide, applying at renewal from the spring. Its separate commercial lines changes took effect on 1 July.


The caveat matters more than the numbers. Plenty of short-term rental homes in the resort communities are not on Citizens at all, and Citizens has shed the great majority of its policies as private carriers have come back into Florida. Treat the reduction as a signal about the direction of the wider market rather than a forecast of your own renewal, and ring your carrier.


Nothing is settled yet


Worth saying clearly: this amendment may not pass, and it may not appear on the ballot in its current wording. Three lawsuits have been filed in Leon County arguing the ballot title and summary are written to persuade rather than to inform, with a hearing this week. The Governor, who called the special session in the first place, has said he will vote for the measure but will not campaign for it, because what the Legislature passed was not what he asked for.


There is also organised opposition making the argument that removing a large chunk of the homesteaded tax base has to be paid for by somebody, and that non-homestead owners are the obvious somebody. That case has not been tested, and neither has the counter-argument that the amendment’s spending restrictions will hold local budgets down. I am not going to tell you how to vote on it. I will tell you that betting your 2027 numbers on it passing would be premature.


What to do between now and January


Your TRIM notice arrives in August. That assessed value is the number any future cap would apply to, and August is the window in which you can question it — not November when the bill lands. Read it properly.


Beyond that, nothing about your 2026 bill changes either way. Any of this would first show up on the 2027 roll, and only if it clears sixty per cent. Plan on the market you have, not the one on the ballot.




Thinking about selling?


Find out where you would net out.





We have closed more than 2,500 transactions across the Disney corridor over twenty-two years, with a particular specialism in overseas and non-resident sellers. If you would like a current valuation and a straight answer on your net position after costs, get in touch.

Request a valuation Browse community reports


General information about proposed Florida legislation, not tax or legal advice. Amendment 3 has not been approved and its ballot language is subject to pending litigation. Speak to your accountant or attorney about your own position.


 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:09:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/selling-at-emerald-island-resort.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/selling-at-emerald-island-resort.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>Selling at Emerald Island Resort: Why Some Homes Sit</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Why Some Emerald Island Homes Sell in Eight Days — and Others Sit for Two Years


By James Donovan, Broker/Owner, Team Donovan · Figures as of 15th July 2026


There are two five-bedroom homes on La Isla Drive, a few doors apart. Same builder, same 2,317 square feet, same pool, same gate, same three miles to Disney.


One of them sold this March for $490,000. The other has been on the market for 766 days — over two years — asking $460,000. Less money. Still there.


If you own at Emerald Island and you are thinking about selling in the next year or two, that is the only thing worth understanding about this market. It is not really a market where homes sell slowly. It is a market where homes either sell quickly or barely sell at all, and which of those happens to you is largely decided in the first three weeks.


The market has split in two


Over the six months to mid-July, nineteen homes changed hands at Emerald Island. Six of them sold in under twenty days. Two took more than 350.


The fast ones were not the cheap ones. 8527 La Isla Drive was the highest sale in the entire period at $646,000, and it was gone in eight days. 8601 La Isla Drive did $520,000 in four. Meanwhile a townhouse on Crystal Cove Loop took 436 days to find a buyer at $295,000.


The same pattern is sitting in today's inventory. Of the 42 homes currently for sale in the community, eleven have been listed for more than six months and five for more than a year. Only three came to market in the last month. That is not a queue of homes waiting their turn. It is a group that sold and a group that got stuck, and the two groups barely overlap.


What's actually causing it


Sellers at Emerald Island are currently asking a median of $209 per square foot. Buyers, over the last six months, have paid $187.


That $22 gap is the whole story. On a 2,881 square foot seven-bedroom pool home it works out at roughly $63,000 — and it is why the community's average time to sell is 102 days rather than 30.


I want to be careful here, because &quot;price it lower&quot; is lazy advice and it is not quite what the numbers say. The two-year listing on La Isla is asking less than its neighbour sold for. Cheap did not save it.


What the numbers actually say is that buyers at Emerald Island are pricing your listing against your days on market, not against your asking price. There are 42 homes available and roughly three sales a month — something like thirteen months of supply. A buyer touring this community has a wide field and plenty of time, and the first thing they learn about your home, before they see a single photograph, is how long it has been sitting there.


A home at 400 days looks like a problem even when it isn't one. Buyers assume something is wrong with it, or that you are desperate, or both. So they either skip it or they open low. Every price reduction after that confirms the story rather than fixing it — you end up negotiating from a position you created yourself in week three.


If you're thinking of selling


The practical implication is uncomfortable but simple: your launch price is not an opening bid, it is the entire strategy. You get roughly three weeks of being the new listing that everyone with a saved search gets emailed about. That is the most attention your home will ever receive, and it is nearly impossible to buy back later.


Four things I would say to any owner here:


Price against the sold column, not the for-sale column. Your neighbours' asking prices are not evidence — several of them have been proving that for over a year. The nineteen sales in the current Emerald Island Community Report are what a buyer's agent will actually put in front of their client, so start where they will start.


Know which product you are. Emerald Island is really two markets behind one gate. Every home currently listed below $400,000 is a townhouse; every home above it is a detached pool home. Townhouses are taking a median of 103 days to sell against 64 for the houses, so if you own a townhouse you are in the slower half and you need to be sharper on day one, not more optimistic.


Furnishing is not a detail here. Almost every buyer at Emerald Island is buying an income-producing short-term rental, not a home to live in. They are mentally pricing your furniture package, your pool, your bedroom count and how quickly they can start taking bookings. A tired 2015 interior in a seven-bedroom home costs you far more than the refurbishment would.


Decide before you list, not after. If you are not ready to transact at a realistic number, the kindest thing you can do for your own equity is wait rather than test the market. A listing that sits and reduces is worth measurably less than the same house launched properly six months later.


If you're buying


The flip side is that this is a genuinely good market to buy into, and the interesting homes are the unloved ones. Those eleven listings sitting past six months are where the negotiation is — the owners are usually overseas, tired of it, and have watched their neighbours sell. The gap between $209 asking and $187 achieved is real money and it is available to a buyer who does their homework.


Entry to the community currently starts around $210,000 for a three-bedroom townhouse, with detached pool homes from about $430,000 and the larger seven-bedroom rental machines in the $500,000–$600,000 range.


It is worth remembering why this community keeps letting: it is gated and guarded, spread over 300 acres with eleven acres of woodland and a nature trail through the middle, zoned for short-term rental throughout, and under three miles from Walt Disney World. There are two pools, a tiki bar with karaoke nights, tennis, basketball, beach volleyball and a 4,000 square foot clubhouse with a gym, sauna and games room. Guests book Emerald Island by name. That is worth something, and it is why the well-presented homes here still go in a week.


So which group will your home be in?


I have been selling vacation homes in the Disney corridor for over twenty-two years and closed more than 2,500 of them, a good many for owners in the UK and Europe who have never stood in the room. I am happy to tell you plainly where your home sits against those nineteen sales, what it should realistically achieve, and roughly how long it ought to take — before you commit to anything.


If the honest answer is &quot;wait six months&quot;, I will tell you that too. It is a more useful conversation than a valuation designed to win the listing.


Request a valuation for your Emerald Island home, or call us on 407-705-2616.


Selling from overseas? Start with what UK residents need to know about selling their Orlando home — FIRPTA withholding catches out more foreign owners than anything else in the process.





Questions we get asked about selling at Emerald Island




How long does it take to sell a home at Emerald Island Resort?






The average is 102 days, but the average is misleading. Six of the nineteen homes sold in the six months to July 2026 went in under twenty days, while two took more than 350. Detached homes are selling in a median of 64 days and townhouses in 103.










What are Emerald Island homes selling for?






The median sale price over the six months to 15th July 2026 was $465,000, with detached pool homes at a median of $520,000 and townhouses at $239,000. Sellers achieved an average of 96 of their asking price.










Should I reduce the price of my Emerald Island listing?






A reduction works far better early than late. Once a listing passes six months, buyers price it against its days on market rather than its asking price, and further reductions tend to confirm their suspicion rather than remove it. If your home has been listed for a year or more, a considered relaunch usually beats another cut.










Can I sell my Emerald Island home if I live overseas?






Yes. A large share of Emerald Island owners are based in the UK and Europe and sell remotely without travelling to Florida. The main things to plan for are FIRPTA withholding on the sale proceeds, access for showings while the home is let, and international wire timing at closing.










Is Emerald Island Resort still a good short-term rental investment?






Emerald Island is zoned for short-term rental throughout, guard-gated, and under three miles from Walt Disney World, and it has let consistently for over two decades. The seven-bedroom pool homes attract larger family groups and command the highest nightly rates; townhouses are the lower entry point but have no private pool.










Figures compiled from Stellar MLS data as of 15th July 2026, covering the six months to that date. See the full listing-by-listing detail in our Emerald Island Community Report, or browse current Emerald Island homes for sale. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:31:00 -0400</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/orlando-real-estate-market-news---june-2026---published---1st-july-2026.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.tdflorida.com/blog/orlando-real-estate-market-news---june-2026---published---1st-july-2026.html</link>
        <author>TD@TDFlorida.com (Team Donovan)</author>
        <title>ORLANDO REAL ESTATE MARKET NEWS - June 2026 - Published - 1st July 2026</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Published July 1st 2026


June &quot;numbers&quot; from the Resort Area Market...


June's median home price came in at $380,000, down 0.2 from May and 1.3 lower than the same month last year, when the median stood at $395,000. The average time for a home to sell and close during June was 145 days — unchanged from May but 10 days longer than a year ago. Homes that came to market over the last 30 days spent an average of 96 days listed, comfortably below the 104-day average recorded over the past 12 months. The resort area recorded 369 closings in June, up from 349 in May and ahead of the 329 closings seen in June 2025. Pending sales — homes under offer or contract — totaled 581, slightly below last month's 604 but above the 535 recorded in June of last year. Homes that changed hands in June achieved an average of 97.1 of their final listed price, edging below both the 97.2 recorded in May and the 98.1 achieved twelve months ago. During the month, 284 homes were withdrawn from the market without finding a buyer. Overall inventory dipped slightly month-on-month, with 3,388 homes currently listed. At the current pace of sales, that represents a 9.2-month supply — an improvement on the 9.7-month supply in May and well below the 11.4-month supply recorded in June 2025.







Resort Area


The Numbers — June 2026













Median Price


$380,000


▼ 1.3 vs June 2025






Closings


369


▲ up from 349 in May






Pending Sales


581


▲ 535 a year ago






Sale-to-List


97.1


98.1 a year ago






Active Inventory


3,388


homes listed






Months of Supply


9.2


▼ from 11.4 last year














Closings — year over year






329









349









369











Jun 2025


May 2026


Jun 2026








Months of supply — year over year






11.4









9.7









9.2











Jun 2025


May 2026


Jun 2026








Source: Team Donovan Resort Area data, June 2026.






Orlando...


Overall sales rose 6.5 from April to May, with 2,542 closings in April and 2,708 in May. On a year-on-year basis, 1,044 homes sold in May 2026 compared to 1,028 in May 2025. The median home price in May was $407,002, down from $410,758 in April and below the May 2025 figure of $415,923, representing a year-on-year decline of approximately 2.1. By property type, single-family homes dipped 1.6 year-on-year to $443,000, townhomes fell 4.1 to $350,000, and condos declined 2.8 to $189,500. The national median home price rose 1.8 over the same period. Inventory fell 1.9 from April to May, from 11,750 to 11,531 homes. Months of supply decreased from 4.62 in April to 4.26 in May, remaining below the six-month threshold generally considered to indicate a balanced market. New listings fell 7.1 month-on-month, with 3,787 new homes coming to market in May compared to 4,078 in April. Homes spent an average of 66 days on the market in May, down from 70 days in April, though above the 48-day average recorded in the same month a year earlier. The average mortgage interest rate in May was 6.5, up from 6.3 in April.







Orlando Metro


The Numbers — May 2026













Median Price


$407,002


▼ 2.1 vs May 2025






Closings


2,708


▲ 6.5 vs April






Months of Supply


4.26


▼ from 4.62 in April






New Listings


3,787


▼ 7.1 vs April






Days on Market


66


▼ from 70 in April






Avg Mortgage Rate


6.5


up from 6.3 in April














Median price by property type






$443K









$350K









$189.5K











Single-family


Townhome


Condo








Days on market — year over year






48









70









66











May 2025


Apr 2026


May 2026








Source: Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association, May 2026.






Florida...


Closed sales of existing single-family homes statewide totaled 24,915 in May, up 0.6 year-on-year, while existing condo-townhouse sales totaled 8,897, up 6.6 compared to May 2025. May marked the ninth consecutive month in which closed sales rose year-on-year in both property categories. New pending sales of existing single-family homes rose 4.8 year-on-year, while new pending sales of condo-townhouse properties rose 9 compared to a year ago. Across all property types, Redfin recorded a total transaction volume of 30,460 homes sold in May, up 9.7 year-on-year from 27,774 in May 2025. The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes in May was $425,000, up 2.4 from the previous year and $5,000 higher than April. The statewide median price for condo-townhouse units was $306,990, down 1 compared to the same month last year. Redfin's broader cross-tenure median sale price, covering all property types, was $395,595, up 1.7 year-on-year. Inventory for single-family existing homes stood at 4.7 months' supply in May, while condo-townhouse properties were at 8.6 months' supply. Total active listings across Florida were 200,524, down 9.89 year-on-year. Newly listed homes numbered 41,852, down 1.8 year-on-year. The median days on market statewide was 69 days in May. 9.9 of homes sold above list price, up 0.2 percentage points year-on-year. 20.2 of homes saw price reductions, down from 24.0 in May 2025. The sale-to-list price ratio was 96.3, up 0.05 points year-on-year.







Florida


The Numbers — May 2026













SF Median Price


$425,000


▲ 2.4 year-on-year






Condo/TH Median


$306,990


▼ 1 year-on-year






SF Closed Sales


24,915


▲ 0.6 year-on-year






Condo/TH Sales


8,897


▲ 6.6 year-on-year






Active Listings


200,524


▼ 9.9 year-on-year






Sale-to-List


96.3


▲ vs a year ago














Median price — by segment






$425K









$307K











Single-family


Condo / townhouse








Months of supply — by segment






4.7









8.6











Single-family


Condo / townhouse








Source: Florida REALTORS®, May 2026.






U.S...


Existing-home sales totaled 4.17 million on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate in May, up 3.2 both month-on-month and year-on-year, the highest level since December 2025. Pending home sales rose 3.8 month-on-month and 4.8 year-on-year, with gains in all four regions. Single-family sales reached an annualized rate of 3.8 million, up 3.3 year-on-year, while the condo and co-op segment was unchanged at 370,000. The national median existing-home price was $429,300, up 1.3 year-on-year and the 35th consecutive month of annual price increases. The single-family median was $434,300. Total housing inventory was 1.55 million units, up 3.3 from April and 0.6 year-on-year, representing 4.5 months of supply. The median time on market was 29 days, down from 32 days in April. Around 25 of homes sold above list price, with properties receiving an average of 2.3 offers. First-time buyers accounted for 35 of all purchasers, the highest share since June 2020. Cash transactions represented approximately 25 of sales. Distressed sales were 2 of transactions. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.44, up from 6.33 in April but down from 6.82 in May 2025.







United States


The Numbers — May 2026













Median Price


$429,300


▲ 1.3 year-on-year






Existing Sales


4.17M


▲ 3.2 year-on-year






Months of Supply


4.5


1.55M units listed






Days on Market


29


▼ from 32 in April






First-Time Buyers


35


highest since June 2020






30-Yr Mortgage


6.44


▼ from 6.82 a year ago














30-yr fixed mortgage rate






6.82









6.33









6.44











May 2025


Apr 2026


May 2026








Who's buying — share of sales






35









25









25









2











First-time


Cash


Above list


Distressed








Source: National Association of REALTORS®, May 2026.






***


U.S. Federal Prime Interest Rate = 6.75






Closing Numbers · June 30th 2026






 1 GBP buys 1.344 USD  1 USD buys 0.744 GBP


 1 EURO buys 1.165 USD  1 USD buys 0.858 EURO


 1 CAN $ buys 0.724 USD  1 USD buys 1.379 CAN $


 1 BRL buys 0.193 USD 1 USD buys 5.18 BRL






Team Donovan publishes this updated monthly report on the 1st of each month for the benefit of all Orlando resort-area property owners. Our detailed community reports are updated and published on the 15th of each month.


 




Looking to Sell?If you are considering selling your property in the future, please feel free to contact us; we would be delighted to discuss the marketing of your home in more detail.

 
LOOKING TO SELL? - CONTACT TEAM DONOVAN


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