Heather the Realtor - Orlando Area's Top Real Estate News

This stunning luxury bank owned home is located in one of the sought after areas of Windermere and more so off Lake Butler shores in Lake Butler Sound.

This house is more then just a home, it's a lifestyle. Lake Butler Sound is nestled on 380 acres of prestine land and plenty of lake frontage. Behind the gates you will find two charming English Gardens and a beautiful dock to watch the stunning sunsets This home once sold for over a million.

Be surprised when you drive up, brick paver drive way, covered porch with stately columns, these are just the beginning of the impressive features you will find inside. Formal living room and dining room grace each side of the welcoming grand foyer. Oversized office/den space with half bathroom. Stunning detail work and finishes are found throughout, dont forget to check out the built in entertainment unit which can house up to a 61" TV. Rich travertine floors flow through all living areas, three way split ensures everyone has the right amount of privacy. All Rooms have walk-in closets.

Double door entry leads to the 14' alcove that precedes the master bedroom and leads to the outdoor patio. Use it as an office, gym, babies room, you name it. The luxurious master suite is sure not to be missed with his and her walk in closets, wet bar, dual sinks, garden tub and walk-in shower w/dual heads, fit for a king and queen.

Dont forget the gourmet kitchen outfitted with beautiful cherry 42" cabinets, pull out drawers, brand new gas range and double ovens, granite countertops, built-in custom refrigerator, entertaining couldnt be easier. Stunning terrace with warm rich wood ceiling opens to the large yard, plenty of room to build your private oasis. At this price don't blink or this bank owed home will be gone!

I cant believe it's been almost 3 months since I have last blogged. I used to be such a religious blogger. I would write at the very least 1 blog per week sometimes 7, depending on the market and my mood. The past few months have been crazy. I have continued to solicit business with new banks and asset management companies, slowly trying to build my team so neither our buyers or my REO customers receive anything less then 100% service. However in this growth one thing has suffered. My blogging and my passion for it. Thanks to Brad I am still able to keep my grandfathered status. Phew

So today, I decided to set aside a few minutes and put my fingers and brain to work for some good ole fashion blogging and update my faithful followers and new comers to what has been going on around here with my team and I. (I suppose blogging isnt old fashion) 

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We launched a new Facebook Business Page, Fan pages werent working too well. Here you can enjoy Real Estate related discussions, preview prelist REO properties before they hit the market and our favorite photo section, THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMM  

We are revamping our Orlando Real Estate website again. Our local MLS feed now offers RETS (to most this means nothing to me this is everything) the RETS feed is the way the local MLS updates websites with up to the minute information on properties available. We are one of the first people in the area to get this new free feed and cant wait until it's 100% functional. 

We are gearing up to start showing more videos of our properties, informational sessions and just things we see out and about in Central Florida we will post these videos to our You Tube Page - Heather The Realtor heck check it out now and watch our HGTV episodes My House is Worth What? and House Hunters - Orlando

There is so much more that has been going on the past few months but these are just some of the highlights. Oh yeah and I planning my wedding, but thanks to my wonderful wedding planners at Blush by Brandee Gaar they are taking some of the stress off.

Located in the heart of Orlando, Florida, Baldwin Park is a traditional neighborhood development that is conveniently located near the city’s workplaces, restaurants, attractions, and cultural, entertainment, and sports venues. With its pedestrian friendly wide sidewalks, homes are within easy walking distance of stores like Publix, offices and restaurants in the Village Center such as Subway, Five Guys, Seito Sushi, Lago. Parks, lakes, playgrounds and common areas are other places to meet and socialize, making Baldwin Park one of the friendliest communities in Orlando.

Available property types for sale within the Baldwin Park community include condos, town homes, and single family homes. With homes of many different types, from apartments to custom homes, Baldwin Park is attractive to families, singles and empty nesters. It’s one of Orlando’s newest and most sought after designed communities.

Baldwin Park offers excellent educational opportunities at some of the best Florida schools. In fact, students can walk to the best public high schools, middle schools and elementary schools that Orlando and Winter Park have to offer. The Winter Park High School campus borders the neighborhood, and the Audubon Park Elementary School is now located within Baldwin Park. Glenridge Middle School borders Blue Jacket Park and is a short walk for many residents.

College Park is on my top list of favorite neighborhoods in Orlando, FL.  Just minutes from downtown Orlando, College Park truly offers a rare, authentic combination of quiet traditional small town living with a vibrant urban convenience. There are many styles of homes to choose from Florida Bungalows to Modern Estates.

Called College Park for its beautiful residential streets that are named after American Universities such as Princeton, Harvard and Yale, this tranquil neighborhood offers a quality of life unparalleled by other area communities. Its upscale blend of small town, inner city living has long been home to many of Orlando’s business and community leaders and young professionals. In fact, College Park’s charm is defined as much by the diverse mixture of residents as it is by its ancient oak trees, brick paved streets and historic older homes. Most of the bungalow homes were built in the early 1900’s. Investors as well as young professionals have renovated many of the older homes in College Park, turning this area into a trendy, popular place to call home.Unlike most Downtown Orlando lots here in College Park you can find lots ranging in size from .12 acre to .30 acres and if your lucky you can find a few larger lots yet. Or maybe even scope up the house next door to really expand your lot size. 

While in close proximity to Winter Park’s shopping district, College Park has a vibrant downtown area of its own along Edgewater Drive, where you will find shops, eateries, parks and businesses lining a delightful pedestrian oriented downtown area.

College Park is also home to the newly renovated and historic Dubsdred Golf Course. Another worthy mention is the area's ease to I-4. Notable lakes include: Lake Adair, Lake Ivanhoe, Lake Concord, Lake Silver.

Orlando First Time Home Buyers your free $8000 Tax Credit is set to expire really soon. That's right in less then 48 days the first time tax credit will expire and you will have missed out on one of the greatest home buying perks ever!

Plus if you are a move up buyer you can qualify for the $6500 tax credit but again that expires in 48 days as well. If you are on the fence now is the time to get off it and behind it instead!

So how do you qualify for the $8000 or $6500 tax credit?

First Time Home Buyer is someone who hasnt owned a home in the past 3 years

You purchase a home with a value of $80,000 or more (otherwise your tax credit is 10% of the purchase price)

Be under contract on a home by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30, 2010

If you are a move up buyer:

You must have been in your current home for a minimum of the past 5 years

Purchase of homes priced above $800,000 are not eligible for the tax credit.

The income limit for a single taxpayer is $125,000; $225,000 for married joint filing taxpayers.

If you are in the market to purchase a home in the Orlando area dont sit on the fence. Prices couldnt be better, the interest rate is still at an all time low for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage and there is free money from Uncle Sam!

Contact my team and I if you are ready to purchase your first home or move-up property today! We can even help you qualify for down payment assistance programs up to $35,000.

This blog is part of a monthly series about the foreclosure market in the Orlando area. My goal is to keep area home owners and buyers educated on how the REO market is recovering or if it is and what deals are out there for both First Time Home Buyers and Investors. Click the link to see Orlando's February Foreclosure Numbers.

Area Number of Homes

Florida 58,865 Bank Owned Homes in the State of Florida

Orange Co 5,367 Bank Owned Homes in Orange County

Seminole Co 1011    Bank Owned Homes in Seminole County

These numbers are said to be accurate as of 3/7/10 12:13 pm

My predictions were right the foreclosure numbers are on the rise and up across the board from February and are just shy of being up nearly 50% from January in Seminole County alone as I had predicted and by the end of the month I think we will hit that number.

It's very important when considering to short sale your home that you have an experienced agent on your side. One that has certifications, like a CDPE and proof of prior deals that have successfully closed. Here's why, this weekend I received a call from a clients uncle who is handling his mortgage. The nephew was referred to me at the end of the year by a prior client. After speaking with this young gentleman and helping him some he decided to buy a short sale that he saw driving around. Well this uncle has now called me back 3 months into this deal and no real movement, I told him if he wanted me to help his nephew I would.

After speaking with the nephew today I learned not only is he paying too much for this house the house he has been waiting over 3 months for wasnt a true short sale scenario.

After digging around in public records I see the home owners have a mortgage of $147,000 the contract is for $165,000. They at some point and time took out a second mortgage. Now if the sellers had gone with an Agent that was experienced in short sales here in Orlando they would have had a much easier time closing on this property. The first mortgage is not being shorted, it's simply a regular sale with $18,000 left over. So the unskilled short sale agent decided that the first needed to go through the whole short sale process when it really didnt and wasted over 3 months.

It could have been simple. Go to the 2nd lein holder tell them the first is not being shorted you will receive $18,000 more then you ever would if we dont sell this and the value continues to drop or it goes to foreclosure because the sellers arent paying and within 30 days it should have been an easy short sale process and also would not have negatively impacted the sellers credit the way it is now.

When looking to sell your Orlando home as a short sale make sure to go with an experienced agent that is certified and has verifiable short sales under their belt. We recently had an Indymac short sale approved in under 21 days and another Suntrust short sale package approved in just 59 days. Our team works hard to get your home under contract and more importantly see it through to closing! 

Windermere Real Estate for Sale

What's going on in the Windermere Real Estate Market? Lets take a look at a snapshot of the sold market from January 2010.

Total Windermere Condos Sold: 2      Price Range: $104,000-$114,000

Windermere REO Condos Sold: 1

Windermere Short Sale Condos Sold: 1

No Resale Units sold

Total Windermere Town Homes Sold:6 Price Range:$98,100 - $195,090

Windermere REO Town Homes Sold: 1

Windermere Short Sale Condos Sold: 1

4 of the units sold were resale or new construction

Total Windermere Single Family Homes Sold: 21  Price Range: $130,000-$7,250,000

Windermere REO Single Family Homes Sold: 6

Windermere Short Sale Family Homes Sold: 7

 7 homes sold were resales

28% of sales in January were REO/ Bank Owned Properties

31% of sales in January were Short Sale Homes

41% of Homes for Sale in Windermere that sold were regular sales! Wow and who said you cant sell your Windermere Home in this market?

If you need help deciding if now is the time to sell your home or need help determining if you qualify for a short sale contact us today. We are certified distress property experts, CDPE and Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialists.

Orlando Real Estate for Sale

What's going on in the Orlando Real Estate Market? Lets take a look at a snapshot of the sold market from January 2010.

Total Orlando Condos Sold: 308      Price Range: $8,100-$1,050,000

Orlando REO Condos Sold: 213

Orlando Short Sale Condos Sold: 75

20 Orlando condo were regular resale

Total Orlando Town Homes Sold:49 Price Range:$19,900-$300,000

Orlando REO Town Homes Sold: 28

Orlando Short Sale Condos Sold: 15

6 of the units sold were resale or new construction

Total Orlando Single Family Homes Sold: 554  Price Range: $16,250 -$1,840,000

Orlando REO Single Family Homes Sold: 280

Orlando Short Sale Family Homes Sold: 127

57% of sales in January were REO/ Bank Owned Properties

24% of sales in January were Short Sale Homes

With more then Half of all sales in Orlando being REO/Bank Owned Homes shouldnt you have a REO Agent on your side?

We are a proud member of NRBA (National Reo Brokers Association) Less then 1% of all REO agents belong to this honored group. Let our experience and connections with the bank work for you when purchasing your first home, move-up or investment property.

Lake Mary Real Estate for Sale

What's going on in the Lake Mary Real Estate Market? Lets take a look at a snapshot of the sold market from January 2010.

Total Lake Mary Condos Sold: 17      Price Range: $24,100-$118,000

Lake Mary REO Condos Sold: 10

Lake Mary Short Sale Condos Sold: 6

Only 1 condo was a regular

Total Lake Mary Town Homes Sold:10 Price Range:$109,000 - $308,500

Lake Mary REO Town Homes Sold: 0

Lake Mary Short Sale Condos Sold: 1

9 of the units sold were resale or new construction

Total Lake Mary Single Family Homes Sold: 16  Price Range: $119,000- $465,000

Lake Mary REO Single Family Homes Sold: 6

Lake Mary Short Sale Family Homes Sold: 3

37% of sales in January were REO/ Bank Owned Properties

23% of sales in January were Short Sale Homes

50% of Homes for Sale in Lake Mary that sold were regular sales! Wow and who said you cant sell your Lake Mary Home in this market?

If you need help deciding if now is the time to sell your home or need help determining if you qualify for a short sale contact us today. We are certified distress property experts, CDPE.