Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Slow Markets and Orlando Homes

Today’s slow real estate market is a hard place to sell Orlando homes. However, the fact remains that homes are still being bought and sold. Buyers are out there; you just have to attract them to your home.

Here are a few tips for getting Orlando homes sold in a slow real estate market:

Prepare for the Sale
Your home needs to stand out from the rest. Give it a lot of sparkle and shine:

• Make minor repairs: Patch holes, fix faucets and replace cracked tiles.
• Clean inside and out: No cobwebs, dirty carpets, worn rugs or smelly odors.
• Check your curb appeal: Mow the lawn, plant flowers, trim bushes, etc.
• Remove clutter and de-personalize: If it isn’t essential, pack it up or get rid of it.
• Straighten your cabinets and closets: Buyers will open them; make sure they’re nice and neat.

Stage Your Home
Hire a professional home stager or read informational home staging articles on doing it yourself. Here are a few quick tips:

• Carefully choose your window coverings.
• Tie new bathroom towels with ribbons for a “finished” bathroom look.
• Use color psychology.
• Bring in plants.

Use Good Marketing Techniques
A strong marketing campaign is a must. A few techniques you want to be sure you or your agent includes in your marketing campaign are:

• Take photographs with good lighting that show off the positive aspects of your home.
Create a virtual tour that showcases both the inside and outside of your home.
• Display the photos and virtual tour on as many real estate websites as possible.

Selling Orlando homes isn’t a quick or easy endeavor. Especially now, aggressive marketers are the winners. Taking the time to clean and stage your home, as well as create a wide-reaching marketing campaign, can get that for sale sign taken down for good.

If you’d like to sell your home, let us create a strong, wide-reaching marketing campaign to get your home sold. Give us a call today at 407-876-5771.

Should You Buy Orlando Real Estate Through an Auction?

With the many auctions here and throughout the U.S., you may be wondering if it’s worth buying Orlando real estate this way. Auctions let you bid at a public sale. Some property is being sold by the owner, but most properties are foreclosures being sold by banks.

Like any endeavor, there are pros and cons in buying Orlando real estate at an auction. For instance, a pro for auctions might be the price; you can often get great discounts on nice homes through an auction. However, you may get caught up in the fervor of the bidding process and pay more for a home than you ever intended.

The Condition of the Home may be Questionable
When you work with a real estate agent to buy a home in the traditional manner, you go through the home inspection process. This ensures the home is in sound structural condition.

In an auction, you have to go with the timeframe of the bidding process and most likely will not have time to get a home inspection performed. In fact, homes sold at auction are sold “as is.” That means no improvements will be made to the home, even if you had it inspected and found something wrong. Additionally, there’s no warranty and no legal recourse to get your money back if you find problems later.

Tax liens can be Costly
In foreclosure auctions, a property may have a tax lien. If you win the auction, you may then become responsible for the payment of the tax lien. It could be a small or large amount of money, but no matter the size, you may not be able to afford it on top of the cost of the house.

Large Payments in Short Timeframes
Lastly, consider that full payment may be required at the close of the sale; if not full payment, earnest money will at least be required. Because closing usually happens within a month of the auction, it’s always best to be pre-approved for your loan before you start bidding.

If you’re looking at Orlando real estate auctions for your dream home, do your homework first. You could end up with a fantastic deal, but, without enough information, you could also end up with a dead end.

If you’re looking for a great deal on a wonderful home, we can help. Call us today at 407-876-5771 for more information.