- ORLANDO

How an HOA Can Benefit Your Property Investment

Many home buyers hear the term HOA (Homeowners Association) and cringe. That's because the media has often portrayed HOAs as the "bad guy" because of their fees and efforts to "police" the neighborhood. But when you buy a home in an Orlando neighborhood that is covered by an HOA, your property could actually benefit in several ways. Here are a few reasons why. 

What is an HOA? 

A homeowners association is a private group formed by a community’s real estate developer to manage and keep the peace in the neighborhood. The members of the HOA live in the community, so they have a vested interest in maintaining a high quality of life for the homeowners and its tenants. 

An HOA collects monthly or annual fees from the homeowners to cover services and…

How Traveler Reviews can Help Screen Guests for Vacation Rentals

Screening potential rental guests for your Orlando vacation home is a must in order to minimize the chances that someone will damage your property. If you list your home on one of the popular vacation rental websites like Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO, traveler reviews can help with the screening process. 

What to Look for in a Traveler Review 

A traveler review allows you to assess your potential guest based on other experienced owners’ information. When someone expresses interest in your Orlando home, you can view that person’s profile on the website and see their star rating. 

If you see that a potential guest has a number of 5-star reviews across the board, you can feel good about accepting their reservation without having to conduct a lengthy…

How to Write a Headline that Attracts Rental Guests

Have you decided to list your Orlando home in one of the vacation rental websites like HomeAway, FlipKey or VRBO.com? Renting out your vacation home is a great way to generate income when you’re not using your property. 

There are several factors that contribute to a great rental listing, starting with an attention-grabbing headline. In fact, the headline is the single most important text in your entire listing, since it appears at the top of your advertisement. Your headline also appears in the property summary that displays in the rental website’ s index and search results. 

In order to attract rental guests to your vacation home, your property headline must contain a few well-chosen words, up to 12 words in many cases. 

Compare these…

How to Cut Vacation Rental Cancellations in Half

Many people who decide to buy vacation homes in Orlando rent them out to holiday visitors when they’re not using them. But one of the drawbacks of owning a vacation rental is the constant need to find new guests. Since turnover is high, and holiday stays are short-term, it’s not unheard of to end up with an empty property, even if your home is located next to Disney. 

One of the most frustrating and costly issues vacation owners have to deal with is cancellations. Here are a few ways you can cut your rental cancellations in half. 

Know Your Market – It’s good practice to check out your competition in the rental market from time to time. Find out what they charge during low season and high season, and what type of amenities they offer their guests. 

How to Know Your Property Manager is doing a Good Job

Have you decided to buy a vacation home in Orlando and rent it out to holiday visitors when you’re not using it? If you don’t live in Central Florida, you will need someone to look after your interests, so you can ensure that your property is generating positive cash flow by keeping it occupied and maintained properly. 

Your local realtor should be able to recommend a rental and property manager for you when purchasing a single family home.  However, if you purchase a unit in a condominium-style resort, these services may be included, so you won’t have to hire a separate management company. 

Regardless of whether you hire a team or one is provided for you, here are some of the responsibilities that a rental and property manager should handle for…

New Luxury Golf Course Homes Planned for Reunion Resort near Disney

Fans of legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus will soon have an opportunity to live in a luxury vacation home community inspired by the “Golden Bear” himself. Launching in December, The Bear’s Den Club will be located along the 18th hole of Tradition, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course located in the Reunion community near Walt Disney World.

Bear’s Den Club will be a private, gated enclave offering vacation home buyers, renters and avid golfers an opportunity to live in one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations while enjoying a luxury lifestyle that’s second to none. The community will also feature a private, members-only Bear’s Den Clubhouse that will host memorabilia commemorating the golf legend’s Hall of Fame career.

Reunion is a…

How to Take Title of Your Orlando Vacation Home

After purchasing a second home in Orlando, some buyers decide they want to change how they took title to the property by adding a family member or spouse, or even transferring the property to a corporation or trust. However, it’s important to know that such a transfer could create unintended tax liabilities. That’s why Team Donovan recommends that you consider how to take title to a property before you enter into a purchase contract.

There are several ways to take title to Florida real estate. Each variation has its own potential advantages and limitations. Here are the most common options to consider when buying an Orlando vacation home: 

1. Sole Ownership – Buyers who wish to hold property in their own names may use this form of ownership.…

Why You Should Buy a Lake Buena Vista Holiday Home

Imagine spending your next holiday in a luxury apartment within walking distance of Walt Disney World™. You don’t have to imagine when you purchase a vacation home in Lake Buena Vista. This Orlando area community is the perfect location for those who want to own a second home or are looking for investment property. 

Nearly 53,000 people visit Disney’s Magic Kingdom every day. And that’s just one of the theme parks in the area. Visitors from around the world come to Orlando every year to spend time at Disney’s other parks, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, as well as Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and SeaWorld. 

Lake Buena Vista offers a variety of luxury condominiums for sale, which can be rented out on a short-term basis.…

New Federal Financing Rules Could Jumpstart Orlando Condo Market

Thinking about buying an Orlando condominium as a second home or vacation property? A new federal law set to take effect October 27 could make financing that purchase a little easier.

The new law will allow buyers to get federally-backed mortgages to purchase condos in buildings where two-thirds of current residents are renters. In the past, at least half of residents had to own units to meet the mortgage rules. 

Condo prices in Orlando and in Polk County, which is near Disney World, have been slow to recover since the housing market began its collapse a decade ago. According to Zillow, Metro Orlando’s midpoint prices for condos are $106,900 – far below their peak of $182,700 in 2006. 

Cash investors began buying properties when the market…

Why Orlando Apartments Make Great Vacation Homes

Many people who decide to buy a vacation home in Orlando start their search by focusing on single family homes. But there is another option you should consider: apartment homes, otherwise known as condominiums. 

If you plan to purchase property near Disney World so you can rent it out to holiday travelers, a condo will generally cost less than a single family home. Generally, these apartment homes are smaller in overall area and by the number of rooms they contain, compared to a single family home. But that’s not always the case. Some condos can be as large as a home, but the beauty of these properties is that there is a lot less maintenance that you have to personally perform. 

Another option you may want to consider is a condo hotel, or…