- Real Estate

4 Ways You Can Put Your Home Loan in Jeopardy

So you’ve decided to buy a second home in Orlando. Congratulations! If you plan to finance your holiday home purchase, you should be careful about what you do between the time your loan is approved, and you actually close on the purchase. 

Lenders have been known to rescind a loan offer shortly before the scheduled closing if the buyer makes one of the following missteps: 

1. Making a big purchase – Buying property is a big enough transaction. Don’t spoil the chances of your loan going through by purchasing any other items such as a new car or furniture for that vacation home. A big purchase (especially one you plan to finance!) can change a buyer’s debt-to-income ratio. That ratio is what the lender used to approve the home loan. Save those…

Why Now is the Perfect Time to Sell a Home Near Disney

More and more tourists who come to Orlando to visit the theme parks and other attractions are skipping hotels and buying or renting vacation homes. If you live near Disney World or Universal, and are thinking about selling your home, this may be the perfect time to make your move. 

New research from the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management shows buyers are willing to pay an average of $269,000 for a vacation home in the attractions area. That’s because the Kissimmee/Osceola County area provides buyers with value, a desired lifestyle and safety. 

Dr. Robertico Croes, a professor at Rosen College, expects this summer to be especially appealing thanks to the Orlando-area’s hot economy, and the opening of “Pandora…

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 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…

5 Mistakes Vacation Rental Owners Make and How to Avoid Them

Buying a home in Orlando to use as a vacation rental is a smart idea, especially if you eventually plan to retire here or use the property as a second home.  Vacation rentals can generate income for you, especially if you buy a property in a desirable area, such as near Disney World. 

However, if you’ve never rented out a real estate property before, you could wind up making some costly mistakes. Here are a few of the more common pitfalls to avoid so your vacation home can be a profitable investment for you. 

1. Setting Unrealistic Rental Rates – Since the Orlando area is competitive when it comes to vacation rentals, it’s important to know your numbers. That means researching rates of competing rentals in the area and determining the occupancy…

How to Prepare Your Orlando Vacation Rental for Guests

Central Florida has a lot to offer for those searching for an area to spend their retirement years. Fabulous weather, numerous lakes for fishing, boating and water skiing, a multitude of restaurants boasting nearly every international cuisine, championship level golf courses, and world-class entertainment, highlighted by the two theme park giants – Walt Disney World and UniversalOrlando.

People who decide they want to retire in the Orlando area often purchase a home several years before they plan to occupy it. Rather than leave the property empty, it makes good sense to generate income from the home by renting it out to holiday travelers. 

Before you let any guests occupy your home, you’ll need to decorate and furnish the property (unless you buy a…

What to Do before Buying a Vacation Home in Orlando

Are you a Canadian who visits Disney World every year and dreams of retiring to sunny Central Florida? If so, you may want to buy a vacation home or condo in Orlando now that you can rent out until you’re ready to make your permanent move to the States.

Once you’ve made that decision, it’s time to do some research and determine how much money you’re willing to spend on a property. 

Here are a few things to do before buying an Orlando vacation home: 

1. Determine how much home you can afford to buy. Factor in the cost of the house itself, as well as insurance, taxes, and maintenance costs, which include repairing and replacing appliances. 

If you plan to rent out the property before occupying it full-time, you’ll need to decide whether you want…

How to Minimize Hurricane Risk When Buying a Florida Home

Thinking about buying a second home in Orlando?  The recent news about Hurricane Matthew may have given you reason to think twice about the idea. But purchasing Central Florida real estate is still a smart investment, especially if you buy a home near the theme parks. 

The Kissimmee area, where Walt Disney World™ is located, is right in the heart of Florida. As a result, hurricane warnings and/or occurrences are not as common, nor as severe as in the coastal cities. In case of a hurricane alert, you should have plenty of time to notify the property manager to secure the home if you are not staying there at the time.   

Central Florida typically experiences very minimal damage from any hurricane, no evacuations, and if the power goes out, it’s…

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 a Second Home is the Best Investment You Can Make

Many people dream of the idea of purchasing a vacation home in Orlando. While purchasing a second home isn’t right for everyone, it could turn out to be the best investment you can make. Here are a few reasons why. 

1. Ease Stress – Everyone knows one of the best ways to relax is to take a vacation. Owning a second home in a resort area like Orlando allows you to get away from the stress of work and have some fun! You can spend time at the area theme parks, play a round of golf, go swimming, kayaking, or fishing. The possibilities for enjoyment are endless! 

2. Quality Family Time – Purchasing a vacation home is a great way to spend quality time with the family. And if your relatives live hundreds or even thousands of miles away from each other,…