What You Should Know About Renovating a Kissimmee Vacation Home

Some people just love the idea of getting an older home or a “fixer upper”. They love the idea that they can purchase a property for much less than market value put some hard work  and a little money into it and after they have an nearly new home built from their own specific criteria that is worth more than they paid for it (in most cases). Whether you chose to keep the Kissimmee home as your own getaway retreat, rent out for an annual return or sell for immediate profit this project usually works out to be a good idea. However renovating a home is a not a hands off job and will take money, planning and some of your own sweat and tears to be completed and to be profitable.

First things first do the math. Figure out how much you are willing to pay for the Kissimmee property itself. Do this by adding up the total for the needed renovations.  When doing this part always include the professional advice from a home inspector if the house needs significant structural improvements, many real estate experts recommend avoiding it altogether. That’s because major repairs such as plumbing and electrical system overhauls, foundation upgrades, and extensive roof and wall work — are usually “invisible” and hardly ever raise the value of the house enough to offset the cost of the renovation.  Make sure to include in the total for the renovations costs for labor, supplies and a little extra for any unexpected extras or unforeseen problems. Next, subtract that from the home’s likely market value after renovation based on comparable real estate prices in the neighborhood. The total is a good assumption as to whether the house is priced right for your project at hand.

Secondly take care to pick the projects that you chose. Extensive projects or large scale foundation/structural work like the others listed above often go unseen and our unlikely to raise the value of your house much. Instead choose projects such as paint touchups, drywall repairs, floor refinishing, which generally cost much less than what they return in market value. New lighting fixtures, doors, window shutters, and siding, as well as updated kitchens and bathrooms, are also lucrative improvements.

Thirdly make sure that you have the time needed to do the renovations or if having someone else do them then the time needed to supervise the jobs properly. The most cost effective is to tackle as many as the projects needed yourself. Get the kids involved; ask friends or family that may specialize in one of the areas to help or offer suggestions and advice. When needed do your research to reliable competitively priced professional to do the job for you but take the time to supervise this from beginning until completion.

So before you fall head over heels in love with a “fixer upper” or the idea of turning an old home into your dream Kissimmee vacation home ask yourself these very important questions, how much will I spend, is the amount of money needed for the necessary renovations available and do I have the time needed to see the project through to competition in a reasonable amount of time. If the answer is yes then take the leap. Buy that old house or that fixer upper and go for it.

We hope to earn the opportunity of helping you achieve your investment property goals this year in 2012. For a free, no obligation investment property consultation with our Director of Sales- Lisa Arcia,  please contact us directly at 866-422-6191 and if you have enjoyed this article please consider subscribing to our blog and stay updated on future information. 

How To Save $3,000 or More Instantly When Buying Kissimmee Real Estate

As you begin to do your research on buying and investing in Kissimmee real estate, one area that you will want to understand and be prepared for is the closing costs associated with obtaining a property. In 2012 Florida ranked fourth in the nation for pricey closing costs with costs averaging between 2-3% of the purchase price.  In Florida, like elsewhere, most of your closing costs are incurred in connection with obtaining a mortgage; however, even if you are not obtaining a mortgage, you can expect the following closing costs.

• Survey: If you are purchasing a single family home, you will want to make sure exactly what the boundaries are to your property and make sure that there are no unusual easements or encroachments affecting your property. Not required on most condominiums. $300 – $400
• Title Insurance: $5.75 per $1000 until $100,000, then $5.00 per $1000 thereafter.
• Hazard and Flood Insurance: Obviously, you want to protect your investment from fire or storm.
• Closing Fee: Charged by the closing agent for closing on the property. $325 – $600.
• Real Property Taxes and Homeowners Association Fees: These items need to be prorated at closing depending upon the time of year.
• Title Search: Charged by Title Insurance Underwriter for searching the title on the property. $75.00-$125.00.
• Home Inspection: You want a licensed inspection company to check out the roof structure and appliances. $300.00 – $400.
• Termite Inspection: Always recommended on single family residences. $45.00- $55.00.
• Condominium Association Application: Required by some Associations to approve you as a buyer. $100.00-$200.00.

 

If you are financing this same home and using a lender you can add in even more fees associated with closing costs such as lender fees, appraisal fees and credit reports. There is really no way around this because these all are needed to close a home.  However there are some great options that will help you to save money and to help keep your out of pocket expenses at time of close at a minimum.

Fly & Buy Rebates- The first option is our $3000 Buy and Fly rebate. It’s a buyer incentive that we offer to our clients that Purchase in one of our VIP communities such as Champions Gate, Paradise Palms, and Veranda Palms.  This is given to the buyer by us as a cash rebate at time of close to be used towards closing costs, HOA fees or any way the buyer would like to use this.

New Construction-  Currently Kissimmee real estate builders are very competitive with the resale market. With demand high and inventory at a record low, new homes are being built at prices comparable if not lower than most of the resales within other well known communities. Buying with a builder has many great incentives which include but are not limited to money towards closing cost. Some builders will even assist with HOA fees and membership fees to help offset some of the out pockets expenses associated with purchasing a property.

We hope to earn the opportunity of helping you achieve your investment property goals this year in 2012. For a free, no obligation investment property consultation with our Director of Sales- Lisa Arcia,  please contact us directly at 866-422-6191 and if you have enjoyed this article please consider subscribing to our blog and stay updated on future information. 

5 Tips for Converting Orlando Vacation Rentals into Long Term Rentals

You purchased an Orlando vacation home, condo or townhome with the plan in mind to rent it out short term allowing you the convenience of also enjoying this home at your discretion throughout the year. However for an array of different reasons, the children are grown, your lifestyle has changed or its is taking too much commitment on your part  you have researched and now have decided that converting your Orlando short term rental into a long term rental may be a switch that you are looking for.

At first glance this may seem like a simple transition but there are several factors to consider when converting to a long term rental. Below you find a list of our top five recommendations that will help make the transition as smooth and successful as possible:

1. Remove Furnishings: Unlike Orlando vacation rentals (short term rentals) where you as the owner are responsible for furnishing your property we find that most long term tenants prefer an unfurnished rental.  With the intention of staying in a rental for a year if not longer this allows the tenant to personalize the space making it feel like a home more than a rental on top of the fact that most long term renters do have furnishing that they intend on moving into their new rental property. If however you rental is currently furnished there are a number of ways to tackle this task. Depending on your attachment to the furnishings you may want to put into storage, sell or auction it off to make a little profit or even give it away to charity.

Watch Our Short Video Clip: Short Term Rentals vs. Long Term Rentals

2. Don’t Upgrade:  One of the biggest mistake we see renters and sellers make is unnecessary upgrades. Unfortunately many upgrades making the property more visually stimulating only take money out of your pocket.  It is very unlikely that a renter will want to pay higher then normal rent due to the fact that you have updated the unit interiors. It is your responsibility as a owner to have the property in rent ready condition, clean and with appliances in good working condition but this by no means entails upgrading or updating the interiors unless absolutely necessary.  When you are converting to a long term rental you must look at the property through the eyes of a landlord and not the eyes of a vacation home owner.

 

3. Tile the Property: Tiling the property is a great way to save on future upgrade and repairs. Due to the high amount of traffic and use that will be put on the carpets it is highly recommended that when the time comes to repair or upgrade the carpets that you research tiling instead. Usually you will find the price is closer than expected and the long term benefits will be tremendous.

Search Hundreds of Orlando Long Term Rental Properties Here

4. Switch Utilities: Immediately have the new tenants put all major utilities into their names. This takes the responsibility out of your hands for the time being. In the case that your current tenants bail or are late on paying the utilities you will not be held liable. In the unfortunate case that this does occur you can call the utility companies to inform and easily have them turned back into your name or new tenants name. The utility company will then pursue the old tenants for back payment releasing you from this responsibility.

 

5. Find an experienced Long Term Rental Property Manager: This does not mean simply choosing the largest or the cheapest you can find. Any money you save can be easily wiped out by an extra month or two on the market due to overwhelmed, inattentive or unskilled management. As investment property specialists and owners ourselves we understand how much this can cost on top of all the other expenses that come with owning a rental property. But this will be one of the most important rules and investments you make in the success of your rental. A long term property manager will play a significant rule in your rental. Management of your property goes well beyond advertising, back ground checks for potential renters and collecting the rent every month, it is more importantly finding great long term tenants so that your investment doesn’t suffer needless downtime and is maintained during a rental period. It is keeping a good business relationship with those tenants so they stay as long as possible and report problems as needed. On top of that, during the inevitable time when a property isn’t collecting rent, a crucial role is keeping that downtime to an absolute minimum. A week or more delay in either getting a bad tenant out of the property or not having it ready for re-leasing can easily cost you thousands. You want to do your research here to ensure that your property will be a priority and that you have an experienced person managing your rental.

We hope to earn the opportunity of helping you achieve your investment property goals this year in 2012. For a free, no obligation investment property consultation with our Director of Sales- Lisa Arcia,  please contact us directly at 866-422-6191 and if you have enjoyed this article please consider subscribing to our blog and stay updated on future information. 

Through the Eyes of a Windsor Hills Vacation Home Buyer

This is a guest post by Rick Albert, a successful Windsor Hills vacation home owner. Rick Albert purchased his vacation from The Flamingo Group last year and is doing extremely well with it. Here he shares about his experience buying a vacation rental home through the eyes of the buyers. If you are interested renting Rick’s villa for your next trip to Orlando you can contact him directly here: Rick’s Windsor Hills Villa

My wife and I try to remain financially conservative.  We both work full time and earn a comfortable living.  We don’t live an extravagant lifestyle or drive fancy cars, but we do enjoy vacations.  It’s our gift to us for hard work and being forced to suffer through our miserable winters.  With three kids, we found that our vacations were becoming quite an expense.

During a family vacation to Disney, we had the opportunity to rent a villa in Windsor Hills.  We were immediately impressed with the community and the Kissimmee area.  After watching television shows such as House Hunters, Property Virgins and Hawaii Life, my natural curiosity had me asking: “How are these villas priced and what’s involved with maintaining a property in this community?”  After a week in the resort, my curiosity was piqued and I was enamored with the area.  Who wouldn’t want to own property two miles from the happiest place on earth?

Search All Homes For Sale in Windsor Hills Here

Upon returning home, I immediately began researching the answers.  We considered that owning our own vacation home could be a venture that we could actually afford and make work for us.  We could own a vacation home, receive rental income to offset our costs and stay when we want and as long as we want.  The prospect offered flexibility by not obligating us to one vacation destination and could keep our vacation costs reasonable.  It also offered us the ability to invest in real estate and reap the tax advantages of owning a second home.

After researching the Kissimmee area, we confirmed that Windsor Hills was the community that we were most interested in and over the next few months we watched several real estate listing sites for new properties of interest.  Within a few months, we found a newly listed property that showed great potential.  Knowing that the process moves fairly quickly in Florida, we contacted the listing agent to inquire about the details.    With confidence building, we took the most important step.  We hired quality real estate agents with experience in the short term rental market to represent us during the purchase process.  This began our relationship with Lisa and Sara with The Flamingo Group.  Sara took the time to view the property and send additional photos and video of the home.  She also connected us several other valuable contacts with information about the Central Florida short term rental market.

Knowing the real estate market and the value of the property, our agent suggested that we come in with a strong offer.  Her instinct was right as we soon learned that there were other (lower) offers for this property.  Within a few days, the owner counter-offered with a number that we were comfortable with and we were soon under contract.

Windsor Hills Resort Condos For Sale

From that point we thought it was smooth sailing.  We couldn’t have been more wrong!  The seller suddenly became unavailable and unresponsive.  Addendums went incomplete, emails went unanswered and our initial contract expired.  The seller made and broke promise after promise.  We had become extremely distraught over the matter because we had now had an emotional investment in the property.  Again Sara came through for us.  With multiple daily phone calls, texts and email, she was able to talk us off the ledge and press the seller into action.  She got the deal done!

With a final contract in place, our next step was to see the property in person, get an appraisal and have a home inspection completed.  Based on the owner’s rental schedule, I had a two day window to fly in, view the home, meet the property manager, have the property appraised and get the home inspection completed.  Again, Sara was instrumental in getting everything in place to maximize my time and the owner was gracious enough to allow me to stay in the villa while I was in town.  This was a great opportunity as I was able to meet with the home inspector and the property manager to get a candid assessment of the home and current amenities.  I was also able to meet with the cleaner and get a third opinion of the home and another assessment of what needed to be improved.  Prior to departure, I was able to complete an inventory, photograph the villa and meet with the Windsor Hills HOA Director.  I covered a lot of ground in two days but gleaned a ton of important information.

Windsor Hills Resort Villas For Sale

As I mentioned earlier, the real estate market in Florida moves very quickly.  The next 30 days were a flurry of documents, signatures, faxes and phone calls.  We provided and supplied every document just shy of dental records and our printer/scanner/fax combo was smoking!  Sara and Lisa then handed us off to the title company to complete the process.  The day prior to closing, we received a 101 page document requiring 2 signatures per page and 28 of those pages required notarization.  We were able to ply our bank branch notary with baked goods, get the documents notarized and then deliver the documents to Fedex the same day for overnight shipping.  After all of the phone calls, text messages, emails, document packets and fuss, the following day we received a one line email from the title company that simply stated: “You’re closed!”  Two simple words brought an end to 45 days of anxiety but began an exciting new chapter in our lives.

Read Other Vacation Home Client Testimonials 

Since the closing, we have spent quite a bit of time and money appointing the villa for our guests and we take great pride in our vacation home.  We were able to transform the villa into a fun and relaxing place to vacation and have received lots of positive feedback from our guests.  We have also had the pleasure of staying in our own vacation home.  That experience is far more fulfilling than any prior vacation that we have ever taken.  We enjoy and appreciate every moment we share in our villa and eagerly look forward to our next stay.

Overall, our vacation home purchase has been a very rewarding experience and we are looking forward to enjoying sunny Central Florida for many years to come.

This is a guest post by Rick Albert, a successful Windsor Hills vacation home owner. Rick Albert purchased his vacation from The Flamingo Group last year and is doing extremely well with it. Here he shares about his experience buying a vacation rental home through the eyes of the buyers. If you are interested renting Rick’s villa for your next trip to Orlando you can contact him directly here: Rick’s Windsor Hills Villa or 716-863-8213. 

Thinking of Buying That Perfect Disney Area Vacation Home?

You’ve done it, you’ve made the decision to buy a vacation home, you’ve chosen the city you want and maybe even hired a Realtor to represent you. Now what? There are many articles explaining how to buy a vacation home, but today we’ll guide you through what it will take to go through the process when it comes to your side of the transaction.  The next steps in your journey can involve a few scenarios:

• Will you be visiting Orlando to personally see what you are purchasing?
• Where will you be staying and how will you get around?
• Will you hire a realtor to handle your transaction for you?
• How involved do you plan on being in the entire process?
• Will you be renting out the home while it’s not in use?
• Will you hire a management company to take care of everything?Watch Our Short Video Tip: Closing From Afar

 

Travel

Depending on where you are coming from, cost of your travel will vary. For a family of 3, coming to Orlando from England, expect to pay $2500-3500 for your round trip airfare. Are you our Canadian neighbors? Expect your airfare to run you $1-2000 round trip. New York, expect $800-1500. If you’re the adventurous type, then pack everyone into the car, and enjoy a long road trip!

Accommodations

Choosing to stay in a hotel or a Disney area vacation home is an important decision to make. You’re already interested in purchasing a vacation home near Disney, and the bestway to utilize the most out of your trip, is to stay in a particular home that you may like to purchase. While this is not necessary, and you might not be too excited about that particular home you’re staying in, it will allow you to get a general feel of the type of vacation home you want as well as the area you would plan on purchasing in. As an informed consumer, you know that an Orlando vacation home will always be a better value all around than staying in a hotel, which of course is why you’ve made the decision to purchase one in the first place. Depending on the type of home you choose to stay in, and the time of year you fly in ( holidays will always be more expensive, as well as being less convenient to view homes and get more time out of your realtor), you can expect to pay $75-200 a night, with weeklong stays always averaging less per night. Hotel stays will range $100-300 a night, but will not afford you the privacy, convenience, space, that renting a home will.  It is recommended to stay at least 3-4 days, to give you enough time to see as many potential homes as possible, but many people choose to book their stays for a week, and take their time.

Watch Our Short Video Tip: Vacation Rental Community Amenities

Transportation

Generally assume about $35 to $50 dollars a day. But it all depends on the length of the trip, what type of car you rent and where you plan on driving to. Holidays will normally be the most expensive with weekends coming in more expensive then weekdays. Cities will always run you more to rent a car.

Watch Our Short Video Tip: Distance To Disney

All Said and Done

If you hire an informed and experienced vacation home Realtor to represent you, everything is planned out in advance and all homes are scheduled for viewing while here, you should not have to make more than one trip.  All closings are done remotely, so all you will need is access to a printer, email and scanner and/or fax, as well as a notary. It is still your choice on whether you want to a part of furnishing or decorating the house, but your best bet is to go with a management company that has more experience, as well as time, to do everything properly.  They will make your home ready for you, and anyone that will be renting out, if you plan on going that route.

You’ve done it! You came, you sought, and you conquered. You are a proud owner of a vacation home, and have joined the ranks of many to call Orlando their second home!

We hope to earn the opportunity of helping you achieve your investment property goals this year in 2012. For a free, no obligation investment property consultation with our Director of Sales- Lisa Arcia,  please contact us directly at 866-422-6191 and if you have enjoyed this article please consider subscribing to our blog and stay updated on future information. 

16 Tips for Renting a Windsor Hills Vacation Home

This is a guest post by Kevin Kirby, owner of 5 Star Vacation Homes, a vacation rental home management company that specializes in Windsor Hills. You can subscribe to their newsletter here. 

Choosing a vacation destination can be easy. Asking yourself “Where do I want to go” is a question that comes to mind often; hopefully that question leads you to the sunny state of Florida. Central Florida boasts some of the best beaches, attractions, and weather, making it an ideal location for leisure travel. Picking your destination is simple; selecting where you want to stay requires a little more thought. Narrowing down what kind of accommodation is best for you, your family, and friends can be a fun process, especially with all the options Orlando has to offer.

 Selecting to vacation in a rental home has many benefits that will optimize your trip and make the most of your vacation. Renting your own private unit provides the space for total relaxation, as well as a budget friendly option that makes a vacation truly unforgettable. Vacation communities across the Central Florida area have great vacation resorts waiting to host your trip. The exclusive gated community of Windsor Hills is the way to vacation in Central Florida. Windsor Hills, located just minutes away from the Walt Disney World Resort, is home to vacation amenities that will make your trip. Units in the Windsor Hills Resort range from two bedroom condos to six bedroom private pool villas…which unit is right for you? These tips will assist with the planning process and will help you select which type of home will be best for you!

Download our Free PDF- 101 Activities To Do With Your Kids in Orlando Besides Theme Parks

1-2. Reserving Early and Central Florida’s Seasons- Do your travel plans revolve around the seasons? Vacationers looking for Orlando accommodations in ’peak’ seasons will have a harder time finding a unit if they are looking to book something last minute. Plan a trip in Orlando’s ‘off’ season, January- March, September-early November, for better deals, less crowds, and great weather. Dates aren’t flexible? Windsor Hills units fill up pretty fast during the aforementioned peak seasons; if you are set on a specific date, be sure to book the unit you love early enough. Arrange your peak season plans a few months out for better availability.

 3. Documentation- Since Windsor Hills is in a gated community, you must present a Rental Voucher and valid driver’s license to gain access to the community and your rental. Ask about what else is needed to finalize the reservation to ensure you aren’t missing important things upon entering Windsor Hills. Be sure you have your Voucher printed and ready to go before heading into the community.

 4. Who are you traveling with?- Families are the majority of travelers to Central Florida, so a lot of places in town cater to families. When picking a rental, make sure the unit has something to offer for every guest staying there. There are units in Windsor Hills that have extraordinarily themed bedrooms that are perfect for the kiddos, but not so ideal for a teenager. There are villas that also have outdoor areas perfect for getting into vacation mode, that are more ideal for adults. Before selecting a villa make sure there is a little something for everyone.

Search All Windsor Hills Vacation Homes For Sale Here

5. What kind of vacation are you looking for?- Are you looking to spend your hard earned vacation days lounging by the pool or up early to fit in as many theme parks as possible? If you’re more interested in catching some rays, renting a unit with a private pool or one within walking distance to the Windsor Hills lagoon style pool is a must. If you favor the latter, be sure to ask the friendly Windsor Hills front desk staff for details and information about the parks and transportation.

6. Know Your Budget- Nothing is worse than falling in love with a vacation home that is way off your ballpark budget. While vacation rental homes are often very budget friendly, they only are if you stick to the budget set aside by your family. Homes are often categorized from economy to luxury properties. Find which one will suit you…and your budget.

 7. Do Your Research- Windsor Hills is located right off the main Kissimmee US 192 Highway. There is a cut through road that will take you from Windsor Hills to the Disney parks much faster than if you were to travel via main roadways.

 8. Get Acquainted with the Area- Windsor Hills has many amenities for enjoyment while on vacation. If you are looking for a rental close to Windsor Hill’s amenities, such as the playground, resort style pool, or sporting facilities, make the rental company aware of your requests. If you are sold on the big castle playground make sure you select a villa in close proximity.

Read Also: The Ultimate Guide To Disney Area Golf Course Communities

 9. Guest Reviews- In each of our vacation rentals we have an autograph book for our guests to sign and tell us about their trip. We love hearing feedback from people that stay with us; many future guests ask for reviews as well. Reading through guest reviews from people that stayed in the unit you are interested helps you not only get excited, but helps put things into a better perspective. When you flip through some reviews, you see the view from a previous renter and that helps in the decision making process.

 10. Prioritize- Figure out what is going to work best for your family and their vacation needs. If you know your kids would rather spend their days in the Windsor Hills community center and resort pool, pick a unit that has a smaller, private splash pool. If you don’t want to cook in your unit every day, choose a rental that focuses more on living space. A great benefit of vacation rentals is the customization. If you know what amenities and features you want, it will be easier to choose a rental, saving you time and valuable money.

11. Space, Space, Space- One of the best benefits of staying in your own private vacation rental is all the space you get. Unlike hotel rooms, Windsor Hills units are all very open, spacious, and able to accommodate parties of all sizes. When determining which vacation rental is best for you, try to figure out how much space you really need. Though the six bedroom villa sounds the best, it might be too large for a family of three. Consider what you’ll use the space for; if its just for a place to sleep, invest more vacation funds into a unit that has awesome bedrooms.

 12. Create Your Own Occasion- Creating lasting memories in your rental is what vacation is all about! Celebrating birthdays, a girls’ weekend, holidays, and just being on vacation is easy in Windsor Hills vacation homes. Since it is your unit for your vacation, you can easily throw a small get together to celebrate any occasion. It’s also easier if you get a little help! Contact a Five Star Team Member to help arrange a celebration party, private chef demonstrations, mixologists, photographers, and more to make your vacation an experience.

Read Also: Market Street Cafe Review’d

13. Prepare Your Chef Skills- From condos to villas, each Windsor Hills unit has a full kitchen unlike most hotels. Cooking your favorite meals in your own private kitchen is an added benefit of renting a vacation home. A sundries shop is on property, as well as local grocery stores are just a couple minutes away from Windsor Hills. When you are fully in vacation mode and don’t want to grocery shop, let us know! Five Star has a variety of Welcome Packages where we get the essentials for you!

14. It Gets Cold in Florida- If this is your first time traveling to the Sunshine State, you might be unfamiliar with the weather conditions. If you are traveling during the ‘winter’ months, our temperatures do drop and it gets pretty chilly here! Make sure to ask your rental company about pool heating; it is often not automatically included in your reservation. If you’ll be vacationing in the summertime with frequent rainfall make sure your unit has…

 15. Rainy Day Activities- If you have little ones who would be very upset without a pool day, water park visit, or Disney trip due to inclement weather, then inquire if your rental has activities for the kids to entertain themselves. Most four, five, and six bedrooms have private games rooms that will entertain even the most bored for hours! Some villas even have private movie rooms; just be certain you pack your favorite DVDs! Don’t forget to stop by the Community Center in Windsor Hills for indoor games, activities, and the movie viewing area.

16. We’re Here to Help- For any questions, comments, or concerns, the Five Star team and the Windsor Hills staff want to help their potential guests make an informed decision. Its important to contact potential rental managers to get a better idea of what you are looking for. Five Star staff is happy to recommend what we think is best for your party. Our team wants to make your vacation the best, so don’t hesitate to ask questions! Here’s to a vacation filled year and to making memories!

17. Bonus!- Be sure to purchase theme park tickets prior to the gate and in advance. As your arrival gets closer, ticket prices increase. If you have your tickets prior to your arrival, you’ll save precious vacation time and money.

This is a guest post by Kevin Kirby, owner of 5 Star Vacation Homes, a vacation rental home management company that specializes in Windsor Hills. You can subscribe to their newsletter here. 

Vacation Homes in Orlando – Is 2013 a Good Time To Buy?

This is a guest post by Gabriel Knight, a financial blogger and writer. He is associated with several financial and real estate communities. He writes various kinds of article on real estate, mortgage and finance topics for several financial and real estate websites.

You may be aiming to own a second home in the coastal state of Florida. The current local real estate market in the city of Orlando and that of Central Florida has never been more conducive for fresh investment of such a magnitude. As per the latest market data, housing prices in these places are hovering somewhere around 30-50%. However, you may be a bit skeptic whether or not is it an apt time to take the plunge. Alternatively, some people who already have a vacation rental property in Orlando are seriously contemplating to sell them off in order to relieve themselves of the white elephant they thought would give handsome return on investments due to their pressing personal financial situations. So, before making the final decision, you should consider some essential factors related to home buying in these areas.

Home Buying in Orlando – Factors to Consider

Here are some indispensable factors that should help you to make a judicious home purchase decision in the state of Florida:

• You must consult a local real estate brokerage firm regarding the expenses and advantages of buying a vacation property in this state. (You Can Use Our Free Expense and Analyzer Worksheet Here)
• Research has shown that existing vacation home owners who have been successful with their investments are said to be in favor of spending more good time with their near and dear ones. They cared more for their family rather than for the house they’ve purchased. So, you might share that mindset as well.  (Download Our Free PDF, 101 Things To Do With Your Kids In Orlando Besides Theme Parks)
• At the moment, Orlando is considered to be one of the best real estate hotspots to invest in, considering the historic low mortgage rates as well as housing prices. (Search Hundreds of Vacation Homes in Orlando For Sale Here)

What If You Want to Sell an Existing Vacation Home?

Take for instance, you already own a piece of real estate in Florida and you want to sell that off citing it as a financial yoke, given the perpetual economic uncertainty in your local economy. If you can work with a real estate agent who can ensure a steady rental income, then hopefully your view towards the vacation property would change for the good. As a result, you will think twice before selling it off.  However, if your financial hardship is too severe to be managed by your own self, then it is advisable for you to consult a real estate attorney at the earliest before you start missing the monthly payment deadlines.

A competent attorney may help you get your loan modified in to more suitable repayment terms. He may also assist you in short selling your property, besides weighing all the other debt relief alternatives that might be best for you. However, if there is a good amount of equity left in your home, then refinancing the mortgage would be a better option. For that reason, you should get in touch with your lender and sit for a mortgage questions and answers session with him.

What If You Want To Own a Vacation Home in Orlando?

Conversely, if you are thinking of buying a vacation home in Orlando, property rates in this area are comparatively lower than other places in the country however, inventory has been clearing up due to supply and demand. Because of this, most homes on the market, especially in vacation rental approved communities, are experiencing bidding wars and multiple offers driving up the prices higher than the actual list price. Though homes are selling higher than list price they are still relatively lower than the prices of homes in most other areas of the U.S.

Still, you may be a bit skeptic about investing in a real estate market that has so many short-sales or foreclosures listed. The reason for such a trend in Orlando is that those existing homeowners did not evaluate their mortgage affordability before buying the homes during the past housing boom of 2004 and 2006. As a result, they found it overwhelming to make the monthly mortgage payments on time.

In addition, there was little or no regulation on the mortgage lending practices that were prevalent in those days, while housing prices were soaring uncontrollably. This led people to owe more mortgage than their property is worth of. However, the trend has reversed as of now and buying an Orlando vacation home right now may give you a good return on investment. Even in this situation, you should evaluate your present financial health and long term goals before buying any such property so as not to over commit to something you may not be able to afford in the future. A vacation home purchase in Orlando should be both an emotional and financial decision, not just one or the other. (For a free no obligation Orlando Vacation Home consultation with our Director of Sales, Lisa Arcia, please contact us today)

This is a guest post by Gabriel Knight, a financial blogger and writer. He is associated with several financial and real estate communities. He writes various kinds of article on real estate, mortgage and finance topics for several financial and real estate websites.

Market Street Cafe in Celebration- Review’d

This review was written by our very own, Sara Maize, our Director of Client Relations. 

As you enter Celebration it’s hard to not feel like you’ve been transported into a different era. The purpose of my visit is to do a review of the Market Street Cafe but immediately my mind wonders from my plan as I’m surrounded by an array of children playing in their front yards, families walking their dogs at the local park, walkers, joggers and bike riders enjoying an afternoon exercise by the lake. I find myself slowly walking through the town and wandering past the many store fronts, bakeries and ice cream parlors. I stop myself remembering why I’m here but first I take a moment to just stop and people watch for a moment. It’s hard not to notice the real sense of community here. Smiling faces around every corner as everyone seems to know each other by name. I feel my own spirits lifted and a recurring thought of “I could live here” keeps sneaking into my mind. As an Orlando local of almost 15 years but originally from a small town in Pittsburgh I miss the feel of a small familiar community that I have now been transported back to.

Read Also: 6 Secrets of Successful Windsor Hills Resort Owners and How They Got There

I arrive at the Market Street Cafe expecting the usual dinner food to be on the menu but I am quickly surprised at the eclectic and traditional menu items that I have to chose from. From pancakes to sandwiches piled high, from burgers to fish tacos this menu leaves no craving unsatisfied. Since it’s a bit later in the day I

steer away from what would be my first pick of Market Street Cafe’s famous pancakes and instead decide on another specialty of the dinners their self proclaimed World Famous Fish and chips said to be comparable to the UK original. I set my expectations high and decide that I will indulge in this childhood favorite but also being a favorite of mine I substitute the traditional fries with the Market Street Cafe’s Sweet potato fries.

As I wait for my food to arrive I look around to see a restaurant full for lunch by what seems to be all locals and regulars. Waiters and patrons alike all call each other by their first names and talk casually about there daily lives and family. I notice next to me and older gentleman who seems to know everyone, staff and guests alike. I can’t help to smile as a sense of happiness fills me and I haven’t even received my food yet. As I soon find out by his eagerness to speak to everyone and anyone that makes eye contact with him, Mr. Tracey has lived here for the past 6 years and has not missed a lazy morning sipping coffee and reading the newspaper after his daily routine of “BLUEBERRY PANCAKES ” one of Market Street Cafe’s specialties, since he discovered this place shortly after moving here.

Search All Celebration Homes For Sale Here

As my food arrives I am astounded by the massive size of my entrée. The fish fried to a golden perfection takes up the entire length of the plate, surrounded on one side by sweet potato fries and on the other the Market Street Cafe’s homemade coleslaw. I stare in amazement at a portion big enough for two or three. I begin

with a sweet potato fry, crispy and slightly salty on the outside, smooth and sweet on the inside “YES “this fry lover has found her heaven. As I cut into the crispy batter of the fish I am happily surprised to find a thin layer of batter encrusting a flakey white fish cooked just right. The coleslaw is creamy and sweet a perfect companion to the fish and fries. Seeing that I have yet to venture to the UK for the original Fish and Chips and unable to compare I find it hard to believe that fish and chips can get any better than this. Using my better judgment and with my dessert loving subconscious sneaking in I stop myself with just enough room left to try one of the Cafe’s homemade desserts. My waitress goes down the list of pies, cakes and cobblers made fresh daily and the chocolate lover in me chooses to indulge in the Chocolate Mousse Cake. As my waitress returns with my cake I see that it is alongside a Vanilla shake. She explains that a visit to the Cafe wouldn’t be the same without trying one of their famous Milkshakes which they have kindly given to me on the house. Both the cake and shake are mouth watering, smooth and delicious but with an already full stomach I am only able to manage one bite and two sips before I have to call it quits.

It’s easy to see why Mr. Tracey visits this cafe every day. The atmosphere, the people and the food make a trip to this cafe more than worthwhile whether living in Celebration or just visiting for the day.

We hope to earn the opportunity of helping you achieve your investment property goals this year in 2012. For a free, no obligation investment property consultation with our Director of Sales- Lisa Arcia,  please contact us directly at 866-422-6191 and if you have enjoyed this article please consider subscribing to our blog and stay updated on future information. 

Living the Dream of Walt Disney – Celebration Real Estate

Living the Celebration Life

Trying to escape the suburban sprawl that is engulfing so many areas in this country, people come to Celebration, FL  from all over the world to experience the charm of 1930’s southern American village.  With a charm, unique to very few places, Celebration lives up to its name.  With everything within walking distance, many residents are able to get around by foot, or the many smart cars and golf carts that you’ll see throughout your day. Wait long enough, and you will even run into a Segway, the 2 wheeled human transporter.  Celebration is made up of an eclectic mix of people, and you will quickly discover that this is one of the friendliest towns you could move into.

View Celebration Homes For Sale

Celebration  Real Estate

Celebration homes have been designed to inspire neighborly activity in the front yard, in order to encourage a sense of community.  Celebration real estate was modeled after small American towns and neighborhoods from the early 1900s. Garages are not observable from the street and are in the rear of the property and accessed by a service alley that runs behind the homes.  Celebration, FL homes and condominiums are built along small streets, with garbage pickup done along the service alleyway behind the homes. Keeping everything in the back, as well as having utilities services under ground, keeps the look of home fronts and sidewalks pristine. As you can imagine, retaining a perfect community, necessitates strict adherence to town guidelines, such as specific landscaping requirements, colors that aren’t too far off from one another as well as similar materials for buildings. All of this creates a harmonious blend of different styles, allowing for a beautifully done continuity throughout the whole town of Celebration, FL. Residents, who call Celebration home, love it and would not choose any other place over Celebration.

View Celebration Townhouses For Sale

The Locals

After going to the Market Street Café, Celebrations quant local diner (Read the review here) and being lucky enough to run into and speak with a long time Celebration resident, I began to understand more about what someone would want out of living in such an area.

“To quote Calvin R. Don’t let the talk of ‘The Truman Show’ fool you. Many myths have been passed around about our little town.  While there are always some kernels of truth in every myth, anyone that comes through here will quickly see past them, and will experience for themselves just why we love this place so much.”

While you might not get life time Disney passes just for being a Celebration resident (one of the better myths), you will end up getting much more in the end, and that’s a real sense of community. Walking through this town, I can’t help but to feel a sense of fun and calm that pervades the streets. It’s not just the people that make this place what it is, but an atmosphere that permeates through everything.

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Celebration History

Now that I’ve told you about what the town of Celebration is like, I will give you a little background on it.

 The dream child of Walt Disney, picturesque Celebration was founded in 1994, inspired by his dream for a people-friendly utopia. It has added its own schools, fire station, hospitals, town center and many other businesses and faculties since the first residents moved in in 1996.  Though the community is no longer owned by Disney – it was sold to a private real estate investment company in 2004, and since then the Celebration Real Estate Market has grown to over 4,060 homes and condos, occupied by over 9,000 residents.

The down town area complete with a movie theater, restaurants, shopping, coffee shop, diner, bookstores, and barbershop is always bustling and will give you ample things to do on your Friday and Saturday nights. If you are looking for a primary residence, second home or vacation home (a place to stay at during those cold Northern months), or even a home as an investment, and then take advantage of this beautiful small town oasis nestled away in the middle of larger metropolitan areas. Your family and your tenants will thank you.

View Celebration Real Estate in Artesian Park

Currently there are only 80 properties available in Celebration, FL, which includes 63 single family homes, 2 town homes and 13 condos. Representing an inventory of less than 3% – a small fraction of the total homes in Celebration, and much lower than it has been in several years residents seem to be happily engulfed within this magical community.

Is it expensive to buy Celebration real estate?  Maybe a little compared to other communities in the Disney area, but you can still find many homes for the same average price as you can find in other suburban towns as well as be a part of a community and culture much like that of Walt Disney’s original vision.

We hope to earn the opportunity of helping you achieve your investment property goals this year in 2012. For a free, no obligation investment property consultation with our Director of Sales- Lisa Arcia,  please contact us directly at 866-422-6191 and if you have enjoyed this article please consider subscribing to our blog and stay updated on future information. 

6 Reasons Not To Buy Vacation Home Rentals in Orlando

At any given time, there are scores of vacation home rentals in Orlando available for purchase as it’s a tourist hotspot. You may find yourself asking, “is the investment worth it?” There are important factors to keep in mind, such as your budget, your time, and the risks included. Make sure you are investing your hard-earned money the right way and for the right reasons: here are six reasons why you shouldn’t buy a vacation home rental in Orlando.

1) You Are Looking For a Cheap Cash Flow Property

Real estate prices in Orlando have increased greatly over the years. Houses that were once sold for $100,000 are now sold upwards of $200,000, and prices continue to rise each year. Investing in this kind of property will bring you a profit if you sell the home in the future. Renting your vacation home to the many people seeking out a qualityhome to enjoy their time in Orlando can bring a steady income, but it will not always be the case. You will be able to recoup a lot of the expenses that go into the home, but to be able to generate a steady cash flow will require much more work than just hiring a property manager and handing over the keys.  If you’re not prepared to put a little work into booking your vacation rental home in Orlando than you  might just want to consider a long term rental property instead, it’s less hands on.

Read Also: 6 Secrets of Successful Windsor Hills Resort Owners and How They Got There 

2) You Don’t Have Time To Enjoy a Vacation in Orlando

Buying a house that you can’t enjoy is not really worth buying, is it? When you’re buying a vacation home in Orlando, you are tapping into a market that will bring much more value to your purchase. Even if you don’t have time to enjoy your own vacation home as often as you’d like, other people who have the time will pay you to stay there for a couple of weeks. When you do have the time for a get-away, you can be sure to enjoy a nice and leisurely vacation at the destination of your choosing, utilizing the income you have earned from renting out your vacation home. If you don’t think you’ll ever have the time to enjoy it than a long term rental investment may be a better route for you to take.

Read Also: Five Things To Consider Before Buying a Kissimmee Condo 

3) You Feel Safer Investing In Other Avenues

Investing your money in other avenues, such as stocks, bonds, or even precious metals may seem like a better option than investing it on vacation home rentals in Orlando. But think about it this way– you can’t enjoy gold like you would enjoy an inviting, modern vacation home that you are free to use at your disposal. You are also more than likely to have a greater return from the house than from your precious metals and the stock market. Consider the potential income and enjoyment that will come from your vacation home for years to come. If the prospect seems intimidating, fear not, as there are more than enough exceptionally competent property managers available to help you throughout the whole process. The trick is knowing the right questions to ask in advance.

Read Also: 10 Questions You MUST Ask Before Hiring Any Orlando Property Management Company-Part 1 

4) You Don’t Mind Giving the IRS a Little More of Your Income

For those of us who don’t happen to be accountants, we don’t always recognize ways to save more money on our taxes. A vacation home offers a break from the daily hustle of life, but it can also offer a break from taxes. A great benefit of a vacation home is the ability to write-off part of the earned income in any given year, as well as deducting some of the expenses incurred in owning the home. The IRS allows you to rent out your vacation home for up to 14 days a year without paying any taxes on the income. The key to maximizing the benefits is to keep the yearly use of your vacation home to less than 14 days a year. Your accountant can help you sort through the rules and guide you in the best route to take. This of course is not an option for those looking to generate an income on  their property. If you are booking your vacation home 35+ weeks per year your income should far exceed what you are paying out in taxes.

Read Also: Vital Steps You Must Take To Prepare Your Orlando Vacation Home For Bookings

5) You Don’t Want to Save Money on Your Next Orlando Vacation

People don’t go on vacations so they can save money – they go on vacations so they can enjoy spending the money they’ve earned throughout the year. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing and fun, not a burden. Opting to stay at your own home during your trip to Orlando will allot more funds for recreation. Renting a vacation house can sometimes burn more than half of your vacation budget. The vacation home rentals in Orlando give joy to both the owners and occupiers. Just think about it– paying for a limited stay in one house is a lot more expensive than actually owning property that will make your vacation relaxing and enjoyable and create long term wealth for you over the years.

Read Also: What You Need To Know About Buying a Booked Vacation Home in Orlando

6) You May Not Want To Have a Vacation Home When You’re Retired

You don’t need any more burdens, especially when you are enjoying that retirement that you have spent so many years earning. Collecting rent payments and finding occupants may seem cumbersome when in your golden years, when your main goal in life is to release yourself from all the stresses you have accumulated over the years. If you decide to rent the house, you will have a steady income that you can use in many different ways. On the other hand, when you are retired, you can always choose to live in that house. In addition to offering a plethora of shopping, restaurants, and fun activities, Orlando’s temperate climate is warm nearly year-round. Orlando is one of the most ideal places to live and that is evident by how many people are choosing to call this fine city their home.

Nobody likes extra worries, as the undeniable fact of life is that we will always seek the path of least resistance. Consider your future and ponder what will be the best path for you. Take advantage of a knowledgeable Realtor that will guide you as you consider buying a vacation home in Orlando.

We hope to earn the opportunity of helping you achieve your investment property goals this year in 2012. For a free, no obligation investment property consultation with our Director of Sales- Lisa Arcia,  please contact us directly at 866-422-6191 and if you have enjoyed this article please consider subscribing to our blog and stay updated on future information. 

6 Secrets of Successful Windsor Hills Resort Owners and How They Got There

This is a guest post by Rick Albert, a successful Windsor Hills vacation home owner. Rick Albert purchased his vacation from The Flamingo Group last year and is doing extremely well with it. Here he shares about his experiences on how you can also find success owning an Orlando vacation home. If you are interested renting Rick’s villa for your next trip to Orlando you can contact him directly here: Rick’s Windsor Hills Villa

So you’re considering purchasing a vacation rental property in the Windsor Hills Resort Kissimmee?  If so, you have done your homework and you’re on the right track.  The Windsor Hills resort is one of the most sought after short term rental communities in Central Florida.  With top notch amenities and close proximity to attractions, Windsor Hills is a global vacation destination with strong rental demand.

Despite being a global attraction and a premium vacation destination, there is a big difference between being an owner in Windsor Hills and being a successful owner in Windsor Hills.  Here are a few tips to set you apart from your competition and make your rental business a winning proposition for you.

1.)  Create a Business Plan:

This may seem like a simple idea:  Buy a Windsor Hills property, rent the property, make lots of money and all is well right?  Wrong!  Create both a short term and long term plan for your business.  Take care to see that you are sufficiently insured.  Determine if you need to incorporate or create an LLC.  Understand your tax benefits and liabilities.  Plan an exit strategy.  Will you retire to this Windsor Hills Resort property?  When will you sell?  How will your business respond to a catastrophic event?  These are just a few questions that should be addressed in your business plan.

Search All Windsor Hills Vacation Homes For Sale Here

2.)  Choosing a Windsor Hills Management Company:

If you’re like me, you don’t live in close proximity to your vacation rental and cannot be on site daily to address the needs of your Windsor Hills Resort property.  You will need to choose a management company.  At present, there are over 200 different management companies currently working in Windsor Hills.  There are large companies that will manage everything for you including booking your property to daily maintenance  to small companies who service a small group of owners with just daily maintenance and leave the bookings to you.  Shop for a quality management company that will fulfill your requirements.  Don’t hesitate to contact other owners and ask for their recommendations.  The success of your business depends on how well your Windsor Hills management company services your Kissimmee vacation property and guests.

3.)  Choosing Renters:

Who is your target customer?  Is your Windsor Hills rental property geared for executives or is it geared for families visiting Disney?  Determine who your target customer is and manage your vacation home business accordingly.  Decorate and appoint your Windsor Hills Resort property accordingly and then price your property to match your target customer.  Under pricing your property will put you out of business just as fast as over pricing your property which leads directly to the next topic…

4.)  Know your Competition:

Do your homework.  Who is your competition?  What amenities does your competition offer?  What does their rental calendar look like?  What do they charge?  Based on these factors, determine how you can make your Windsor Hills property more appealing to potential guests.

Search All Windsor Hills Vacation Homes For Sale Here

5.)  Effective Advertising:

I can’t stress enough how important effective advertising is to your success.  Would you wear sweat pants and a t-shirt to a job interview?  Of course not, so why would you present your Windsor Hills property in a boring, lack-luster manner?  This is your one shot to grab a potential customer’s attention and make yourself stand out above the thousands of other rental properties in Central Florida.

Start by choosing  an inviting name for your vacation home business.  Your potential guests are traveling a long way to Central Florida to enjoy the weather, the attractions and the amenities.  They have planned and saved all year for this trip and probably don’t want to stay at the “Smith Rental.”  It sounds much more appealing to stay at the “Windsor Hills Luxury Sunshine Escape.”  Be creative.  Choose a name that is befitting your property and amenities and entices renters to stay with you.

99.99% of your customers will come from online inquiries.  The other .01% will come from referrals and return customers.  All of whom will look at your online advertising before booking your property.

Whether you list your Windsor Hills property on a portal site such as Homeaway.com or VRBO.com, you need to make your listing stand out.  Hire a professional photographer/videographer to stage and shoot your property.  Quality photographs will set your property apart from the rest.  When potential customers are scrolling through properties on these sites, bright colorful photos are going to grab their attention and direct them to your listing.  Provide a complete, descriptive narrative for your property and amenities.  Consider hiring a professional to write a quality narrative for your listing.  Homeaway.com offers this service to its customers and may be worth the fee if it creates additional bookings for you.

Your vacation home business website is the final piece of the puzzle.  Again, don’t present your  Windsor Hills property in a boring, lack-luster manner.  Hire a web designer who can help you build a quality site.  A strong homepage that holds a visitors attention is key.  From there, make your site easy to navigate.  Display large quality photos of your property and amenities.  Have pages for your rates, availability and contact information.  A video or virtual tour will also set you apart from your competition.  Potential guests will want to examine all that you have to offer and a quality website will solidify your legitimacy as a quality business.

Search All Windsor Hills Vacation Homes For Sale Here

6.)  Time Spent

The last component to your success is the amount of time you personally spend on your business.  Unless you decide to hand your keys to a full service management company, your success depends on your personal involvement.  You can expect to spend at least one hour per day on activities directly related to your vacation home business.  Activities such as responding to inquiries, keeping in contact with your Windsor Hills property manager, speaking with guests and bookkeeping all require your attention.  Your vacation home business will not run itself and the property owners who exercise due diligence in daily operations tend to be the most successful.  And last but not least, don’t wait to block out time for you to stay throughout the year.  You’ll get a firsthand look at how things are going with your Windsor Hills property and your own vacation is probably a primary reason that you’re shopping for a rental property at all!

This is a guest post by Rick Albert, a successful Windsor Hills vacation home owner. Rick Albert purchased his vacation from The Flamingo Group last year and is doing extremely well with it. Here he shares about his experiences on how you can also find success owning an Orlando vacation home. If you are interested renting Rick’s villa for your next trip to Orlando you can contact him directly here: Rick’s Windsor Hill’s Villa

5 Quick Kitchen Fixes for your Orlando Vacation Rental Home That Will Generate Bookings

This is a guest post by Lisa Sedore, owner of www.SunshineVillaOrlando.com. Please scroll down below for more information on her and her services.

What room comes to mind when you think of the heart of a home? Your kitchen, right?  Well, an Orlando vacation rental home is no exception to this rule. With just a few quick kitchen fixes you can pump some new life into a flat line rental kitchen and increase your bookings in the competitive Disney area vacation home market.

2. Dress Up your Window
What’s your style? Whether simple and functionable, county or elegant the window treatments say it all.  Try some mini blinds and valance or a cornice box hung high to enlarge the look of your window.  Highlight a modern sleek look with a Roman shade or bump it up with wood blinds for a touch of elegance.  Cute little cafe curtains add a homey county feel to a Florida home.

Read Also: How To Market Your Vacation Home To a Niche Audience

5. Shine Some Light
Some like it bright, some like little light.  Mix a variety of light sources to blend light levels in the kitchen.   Task lighting provides sufficient direct light to chop veggies or read recipes while ambient light creates warm glows that fill the space and warm our hearts.

Guests will take notice of the updates and modern fixes to your kitchen rewarding you with increased inquiries and more bookings.   After all … kitchens are the heart to all our homes!

Lisa Sedore (owner) is The Villa Manager, she is dedicated to providing vacation rental property owners the best solution to their business management and booking needs.   Her blog site, www.vacationvillablogger.com is an amazing resource for Florida vacation home owners and guests to find insightful information, join the conversation, and learn about how The Villa Manager can make the most of their vacation rental experience.   Lisa’s and her husband Mark are also the owners of their own vacation rental property in Davenport Florida.  Take a peek at how they created a magical villa close to Disney at www.sunshinevillaorlando.com

 

Turning Your Vacation Home Into a Mold Free Zone

This is a guest post by: Kahmen Lai, mold removal and prevention specialist.

Is that dirt on the garage wall? One event almost guaranteed to send you into a state of panic is the discovery of mold in your home. Even if you’ve dealt with the problem before, finding a mold infestation is extremely unpleasant and dealing with it can be expensive and inconvenient. And yet, if you leave a mold growth unchecked it can spread and have significant health implications including respiratory problems and fatigue.

Often the first indicator that you’ll notice is the odd grey-black spots appearing on a wall. Once you know you’ve got a mold problem, treating it quickly and effectively is of paramount importance.

Search Thousands of Orlando Vacation Homes For Sale Here

Getting Rid of Mold in Your Florida Home

There are any number of home remedies that can kill mold, including tea tree oil, vinegar and baking soda, but those in need of a harsher solution often turn to chemicals like chlorine bleach, ammonia or hydrogen peroxide. Scrubbing or wiping down the surface with these substances will generally kill the mold and return your walls to spot-free splendor.

Problems with Mold Solutions

The problem is that these solutions often have huge disadvantages – the toxic fumes alone are enough to cause concern. If you’re treating a porous structure like wood or drywall, many of these treatments won’t work effectively. Then of course is the main problem: once you’ve treated the growth, there’s no guarantee that it won’t crop up again.

Search Thousands of Orlando Vacation Homes For Sale Here

Keep the Area Dry and Well-Ventilated

Since mold is caused by excess moisture in the air, one of the best ways to prevent mold growth is to ensure that the location is kept dry. If you’re living in a home that is predisposed to mold growth, you might want to invest in a good-quality dehumidifier that draws the moisture from the air and prevents condensation forming on walls. Disposable interior dehumidifiers are smaller and less expensive and can be used in tight spaces like in wardrobes or under sinks. Disposable dehumidifiers are rarely recommended for bathroom usage so you may need to install an extractor fan for your bathroom as well.

Of course, the cheaper solution is to ensure that the area is well-ventilated. If you’ve got problems in your garage, for example, you may want to consider switching to a well-ventilated structure like a carport as an alternative, which will allow air to flow through. Your garage, which will then have infinitely more space, can then be cleaned, treated for mold and used for other purposes. To encourage airflow, the garage should still be opened and ventilated every weekend.

It’s important that once you’ve discovered a mold problem that you treat it immediately in order to prevent it spreading. However, once you’ve got it under control you should also look to prevent it from reoccurring. That way, your home will always be mold-free and you won’t have to worry about getting rid of another infestation!

Search Thousands of Orlando Vacation Homes For Sale Here

Citations:

• This photo is taken from FreeDigitalPhotos

Kahmen Lai has been providing practical home advice for many years and specializes in mold removal and prevention. She also writes for www.getcarports.com/ , a company that offers produces and installs ventilated structures.

Vacation Home of the Week- 916 Orange Cosmos

We’ve gone through dozens of applications and viewed numerous homes to bring you some of the best vacation homes and owners that Orlando has to offer. We’re proud to compile this list of unique vacation homes and outside-the-box thinking owners. We think each of these homes deserves to be recognized and certainly should be at the top of your list for those of you traveling to Orlando. Check out this week’s Vacation Home of the Week!!

 

916 Orange Cosmos Blvd

Location: Davenport, FL
Neighborhood: Watersong Resort
Owner Booking Weeks: 20
Management Booking Weeks: 4
Website: www.SunshineStateVacation.com

Why Owners Chose This Home:  “We liked the model home and decided to one built newly and just across from the club house. Watersong Resort is uniquely located in a preservation area with beautiful woodlands and lakes.”

What Makes This Home Unique: “Of course all houses are built Tuscany style. Our house difers, because we had the furniture and most decorations and paintings imported ourselves from the Netherlands. High quality and contemporary design. Makes it stand out in the crowd.”

Marketing Strategies: ” To cater for non-English speaking customers I not only translated the website in the respective language, but also reserved appropriate domain names, eg .de .nl .eu etc. I also created a communal website or owners in Watersong Resort to publish their property on for free: http://www.amsport.nl/site. Also installed a Family & Friends discount program and a kick-back referal program.”

The Pink Flamingo’s Review:
The outside the home is very nice but unassuming and upon walking into Bou’s home it was like walking into a model home.  Everything is so unique and I don’t use that word lightly!! I spent quite a bit of time just looking at little things like the wall decor, art work, furniture etc. I was absolutely enamored by all of the detail and work put into this home.  When they had the home decorated they had everything shipped over from the Netherlands, so it’ all authentic. No IKEA in this house! One of the coolest things in the home was the little city landscape that runs across the top of the wall meeting the hallway and the kitchen. How cool! It’s little things like that, that really make this house unique. It’s also very tastefully upgraded and clean.

The real thrill comes when you walk outside into the backyard and your whole backyard is overlooking the most beautiful conservation areas. This is one of Watersong Resort’s major focal points, its gorgeous conservation views. This home is located on one of those direct view lots and it’s walking distance to the clubhouse so you not only have privacy in the home but convenience! What I truly love about the Watersong Resort is that it’s one of the few communities in the area that has really captured the Tuscan style architecture.  The homes don’t look like any other community that you’ll see in the Disney areas and the clubhouse is very high end so you’ll get nothing but luxury here.  It’s also very close to the golf course at Providence which is a huge selling point to golfers. . As a matter of fact, their guests seem to like it so much that they have had two purchase a home in Watersong before they left to go home during their visit!!

Watersong Resort Davenport, FL

Bou and his wife are Dutch nationals and had visited Orlando before making this purchase. They both still work, Bou is a software salesman and has worked in both the Netherlands and Germany which opens up his market of renters tremendously. When they were in a position to purchase a vacation home, being in the Netherlands, they naturally considered places with a warm climate. They had friends that owned vacation properties in France, Spain and Portugal and had told them horror stories about security, and unreliable property management companies in those places. After alot of research Florida was their vacation home destination of choice and they started to explore the market in Orlando.

Owner’s like Bou who live overseas have such a huge advantage to tap into their network of travelers in their country. Bou is doing exactly that. As a matter of fact, he doesn’t even have a HomeAway ad yet. He’s strictly doing most of this by word of mouth in Holland and Germany, which is very impressive! His homepage is also generating leads for him. What he did, that I thought was really unique and outside the box is he started an Orlando Forum in the Dutch language (http://www.sapg.nl/smf) and set up a content management system based website for Watersong Resort owners to publish their property for free. (http://www.amsport.nl/site). Owners can naturally swap referrals with each other on this site. They do advertise on Home Owner’s direct (UK) and VRBO.  Bou’s goal for 2012 is to target the German speaking market with over 90 million people!

If you’re looking to rent a home that’s truly unique, convenient and private than The Pink Flamingo highly recommends Bou’s Home Away from Home in the beautiful Watersong Resort.

Watersong Resort Vacation Homes For Sale

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Vacation Home of the Week- 640 Blue Jay Way

We’ve gone through dozens of applications and viewed numerous homes to bring you some of the best vacation homes and owners that Orlando has to offer. We’re proud to compile this list of unique vacation homes and outside-the-box thinking owners. We think each of these homes deserves to be recognized and certainly should be at the top of your list for those of you traveling to Orlando. Check out this week’s Vacation Home of the Week!!

640 Blue Jay Way

Location: Davenport, FL
Neighborhood: Sandy Ridge
Owner Booking Weeks: 18
Management Booking Weeks: 19
Website: www.OrlandoHouse.me

Why Owners Chose This Home:  “We wanted a home that was a bungalow (single floor), newly built, 4 bedrooms, and with a great floor plan. Two of the bedrooms had to have master suite amenities; with private baths and at least one had to have a walk-in closet. The pool area required a covered lanai overlooking the pool; with southern exposure to enjoy the sun!

We chose to buy in Sandy Ridge, Davenport because it is set within a lush conservation and is ideally situated within easy reach, 20 minutes,  of the popular Central Florida theme parks and attractions.  The community is very well landscaped and also has its own kiddies play area. Being close to great routes such as Interstate 4 and Hwy 192 makes planning those all important days out to parks or shopping that much easier. We also wanted Florida’s beautiful coastline within easy reach, from the quiet white sands of St Pete’s to the fast pace of Clearwater, and with one of the closest (Cocoa Beach) being just over an hour’s drive away.

We wanted renters to have easy access to golf. Golfers will be spoiled for choice when it comes to golf courses, Sandy Ridge is within a few minutes drive of the popular Champions Gate Golfing Resort.  It was very important to have close-by supermarkets, shopping strips and some fine restaurants within a few minutes.”

What Makes This Home Unique: “Our home provides a stunning single floor layout, with beautiful porcelain tile throughout the main living areas (soon to be shown on the web site). Each room in the house is professionally decorated.  A south facing backyard with a covered lanai overlooks the screen enclosed heated pool. The kids, young and old, will enjoy the farmers field seen from the backyard with horses.”

Marketing Strategies: ” Our house has what 99% of all rental homes don’t have, an iPhone/iPad application. This opens up a whole new marketing tool. Google “iPhone Orlando vacation home app” and our application will appear first in the search results. Search “Orlando Home” in Apple iTunes, and our application appears first in the list! We have had numerous inquiries and rentals through the application.”

The Pink Flamingo’s Review: I’ll start with the home itself.  I was in 640 Blue Jay Way  a couple of years ago when I sold Dave and Lois the home and back then it was a very nice home after they fixed it up. Nicely appointed, great location and awesome view but when I went to preview the home a couple of weeks ago I had a “WOW factor” experience when I walked in.  The entire home, except for the bedrooms had been updated with all beautiful 18×18 ceramic tile and it really made the house pop!  This is such a smart move on the owner’s part, especially  for a one story home as the living areas tend to get more traffic.  It’s really adds a more luxurious feel to the home.

Blue Jay way is such a cute home, it’s perfect for families traveling with kids because the floorplan is very cozy and no matter where you are in the house you can have a pretty good idea of where the kids are and what they’re up to.  There’s no getting lost in this home and you don’t have to worry about the family being disconnected by an upstairs.  In my opinion, it’s the perfect family retreat home or even for two couples traveling together as it has two masters.  This home is really great for just about anyone but I love the intimacy and convenience that it offers for families.

Sandy Ridge Properties

The backyard is really cool, it has a view of some farm land and you can see horses grazing and just hanging out. The whole community is very much like that. If you take a drive through Sandy Ridge you’ll see tons of trees and nature. That’s what I love about it. You don’t feel like you’re in some cookie cutter community where all the tress have been chopped down. There is plenty of nature for you to enjoy. The location of the home can’t be beat. It’s not even 5 minutes to a Publix shopping plaza and a short 15 minute drive to Disney.

The owners, Dave and Lois, are a really nice couple from Ottawa and are super laid back and down to earth. Great people to do business with and I’m positive that anyone renting out their home will have nothing but a first class experience working with them. Dave is extremely tech savvy and very sharp. He did something for his home that I have never seen anyone do before, he created an iphone app in his spare time that people can download to their phones. How cool is that? You can actually read reviews on the home, check out local attractions, shop car rentals, check the booking calendar, book the home and so much more!! In fact, based on my search in itunes I think Dave and Lois are the ONLY vacation home owners that have an app for their home. That is truly outside the box marketing and I love it!! If you haven’t already, go to Itunes and download their app here.  It’s free! Don’t forget to “Like” their page on Facebook too.

When traveling to Orlando, if you want to work with honest and ethical people, get a great deal on a cozy yet classy vacation home than I highly suggest renting out 640 Blue Jay Way from the Pollocks.  It gets our Pink Flamingo two thumbs up!

Sandy Ridge Vacation Homes For Sale

Enter Your Home Today in Our “Vacation Home of the Week”

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