Top Five Most Common Complaints From Kissimmee Vacation Home Renters That Could Cost You Money

I had the pleasure of speaking with one of the reservations managers recently at Global Resort Homes and had a nice chat with her about the most commonly complained about items when renters get to their vacation rental home. Many owners lose bookings due to these factors and it costs them money.

Complaint #1. Pool Heat Not Working
This is the number one complaint by guests staying at Orlando vacation rental homes.  The pool heat issues seems to happen quite frequently and it upsets many guests as they were looking forward to jumping in that warm pool after their long flight to Orlando.  They will asked to be credited money back for the pool heat and in many cases if the issue cannot be resolved quickly they will want to switch houses.

Watch Video- Orlando Property Tip: Pool

Complaint #2. No Pool Cover (To Trap Heat)
This is one of those things that many owners don’t really think about but the guests certainly do.  They complain about the pool not having a cover to trap the pool heat and surprisingly it’s a common complaint. I know many owners don’t have a pool cover for their pool as they find it unnecessary because the pool is locate din a screened enclosure but if the money is in the budget it may be worth investing in one.

Watch Video- Orlando Property Tip: Hidden Fees

Complaint #3. Carpets are Stained
The simplest things in life are sometimes the most overlooked things.  If your carpets are stained and dirty your guests will request to be switched to another property almost immediately.  One of the biggest reasons that people rent a vacation home in Orlando is because they don’t like nasty hotels.  The last thing they want to do is walk into a nasty house.  Keep your carpets clean and as free of stains as possible. Ask your management company to have your carpets steam cleaned at least once per year. I recommend every six months if you have a busy property.

Watch Video- Orlando Property Tip: Furnishing

Complaint #4. Ugly Furnishings
For the love of all things vacation homes. . . DON’T GO CHEAP ON YOUR FURNISHINGS! The less you invest the less you get in return.  There are so many other properties in Orlando that owners have put in extra time and effort into the furnishings, this is your competition.  You property may still rent with cheap, ugly floral couches but you certainly won’t be getting the high rent on the street and what you will be attracting is discount renters.  If your goal is to make money at this whole vacation home thing than invest in your investment!

Watch Video- Orlando Property Tip: Gamesroom

Complaint #5. Too Far From Clubhouse
This can be a big deal for some communities. If you’re all the way back at the end of the neighborhood and you don’t supply any type of bikes at your rental property than people are going to get tire very quickly of walking back and fourth to the clubhouse, especially in the middle of summer when it’s blazing hot.  If you found a property and it’s an amazing deal but at the back of the neighborhood, don’t sweat it just supply your property with some bikes.  I personally am a big fan of Radio Flyer wagons!

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Are Orlando Vacation Homeowner’s That Self Manage A Threat To Management Companies?

The vacation home industry is growing by leaps and bounds and was one of the most popular choice of accommodations for families traveling to Disney World and other Florida areas in 2009.  With the popularity of vacation homes and consumer awareness growing it’s starting to become a bit more competitive to market vacation rentals online than it used to be.  VRBO, a popular vacation rental by owner site,  is currently dominating the world of direct owner bookings and though there are management companies advertising on the site most of what’s available is listed directly by the owners.

Windsor Hills Resort Bank Owned Vacation Rental Homes For Sale

One of the trends I’m noticing with owners is that many think that if they cut the middle man out (management company) they can market their home at a discounted rate and still receive a larger portion of that money.  This works for many owners who utilize their vacation home rental as a full time business but what about the other owners who don’t want to make marketing and renting their vacation home a full time job and are dependent upon a property management company renting out their property?  These steeply discounted rates that owners are offering on VRBO are in direct competition with what your management company is trying to rent your vacation home for.  Any prospective renter who understands the internet is able to log on and check to see what rentals are going for in your neighborhood and will see these discounted rates being offered by owners.  If your management company is any good at securing retail bookings than they will be aware of this fact up front and know how to up-sell the renter on the benefits of working with a management company over booking directly with the owner (as will owners do the same).  I personally, do not have a preference as to which one is better but there are specific facts about both that should be brought to the renters attention before they make a decision.

Everything You Wish You Knew Before Buying a Florida Vacation Rental Home

Pros of Booking Directly With The Vacation Homeowner

• Homeowner will give a better rate.  Since the middle man is being cut out the homeowner can afford to offer a steeply discounted rate to the renter.
• Homeowner can be more accommodating. Since you are dealing directly with the owner you can ask specific questions about the property that a reservationist at a management company may not be able to answer in as much detail for you such the closest local Italian restaurant or the best view of the Disney fireworks in town.

Cons of Booking Directly With The Vacation Homeowner

• Time difference and emergencies. If the homeowner lives in another country and there is an emergency that requires immediate assistance than it is possible that you could be waiting for a response back for several hours as many homeowners do not have a full time on call maintenance staff to deal with these issues.
• No quality assurance. Some homeowners that manage their own vacation rental properties rely solely on a cleaning crew to maintain their home between guests which means there is more risk of the home not being cleaned to your standards when you arrive.  If you complain to the owner they cannot move you to a new property as most of the time they only own one.

Hidden Expenses Your Short Term Rental Management Company Doesn’t Want You To Know About

The Best of Both Worlds?
There are renters out there who will just always feel more comfortable renting a property that they know is being professionally managed.  With that being said, owners can still cash in on their own bookings while utilizing the assistance of a rental manager.  Many owners will list their properties for rent by owner and secure the booking themselves but have the management company handle the rental aspect of it and pay them a small owner booking fee.  This is a win-win for both the owner and the renter as the renter gets a peace of mind knowing that if something goes wrong with the property they will be accommodated immediately and the owner get their chunk on the booking revenue while doing a quarter of the work that a self managing owner would do.

What is your take on self-managing vacation homeowners offering competitive rates to undercut rental manager bookings?

Celebration Homeowners Go All Out For Halloween!

As I was driving through the town of Celebration today I saw two houses that made me hit the brakes, pull out my phone and start snapping some photos.  These two homes, directly next door to each other on Celebration Blvd, were so incredibly decked out that they could give Disney’s Haunted Mansion a run for their money. It at first appeared that the neighbors were one upping each other but as I got closer it appeared they actually teamed up on this project!  Take a look at these photos (they were taken on my iphone so not the best quality) and remember, don’t be greedy with your thoughts, comment below! My favorite. . . the aliens disguised as Halloween decorations!

Top 20 Most Critical and Frequently Asked Questions About Buying and Owning an Orlando Vacation Home

View Celebration Home For Sale That Would Be Great To Decorate For The Holidays

The Chuck Norris Guide To Closing On Your Orlando Vacation Home in 30 Days Or Less

What do Chuck Norris and Orlando vacation homes have in common? Everything of course.  For example, If you have five dollars and Chuck Norris has five dollars than Chuck Norris has more money than you and will most likely outbid you on a property. The first lesson to learn here is that Chuck Norris gets things done and he gets them done fast. No title company, mortgage company or lazy Realtor can stand up to his roundhouse kick in the face so that being said lets get right into this and see what Chuck can teach us about closing on an Orlando vacation home in under 30 days. 

Chuck Norris Does Not Get Frostbite. Chuck Norris Bites Frost
If you don’t want to be stuck spending your winter in what feels like the trenches of Antarctica than make sure you have all your financing in place before you start making offers on any Orlando vacation properties (unless you bite frost).  If you’re paying cash, make sure it is liquid and ready to be wired into the title company’s escrow account on the day of closing.  I have had situations with clients who said they were paying cash however, still had to have the money cashed out of their home.  This usually happens when a person is using either a home equity line of credit or is in the process of doing a cash out refinance on their primary home.  This is not a bad thing but if you are shooting for a 30 day or less closing it can definitely hold it up. If you’re taking a mortgage than the whole pre-approval process needs to be done, even get as far as requesting a loan commitment with contingencies.  Then you know exactly what the lender needs to move forward.

Top 20 Most Critical and Frequently Asked Questions About Buying and Owning an Orlando Vacation Home

When Chuck Norris falls in water, Chuck Norris doesn’t get wet. Water gets Chuck Norris.
Since you’re not Chuck Norris you and your home could be subject to flooding.  Checking to see if your home is located in a flood zone is a very simple thing your Realtor can do for you.  Generally it’s just a matter of pulling the tax records on the home. If you’re concerned about living in a flood zone have your Realtor check this information out for you BEFORE you write a contract not after.  You will have enough to do once the contract is accepted you don’t need to be worrying about a flood zone.  Most lenders will require a new survey be ordered on the property this will also tell if your home is located in a flood zone.  You won’t get this document before the contract though, it’s generally ordered around the same time as the appraisal. If you’re paying cash for your Orlando vacation property than you will need to have one of these ordered as it’s not standard procedure.

Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door. Interview Disney area vacation home management companies as soon as you submit the offer. Don’t waste any time on this because you may be slamming a lot of doors yourself on your way out! Searching for the perfect vacation home management company in the Kissimmee and Davenport areas can be very frustrating and many people often have to go through at least five or six before they find a company they are happy with.  I am in no way advising you to go with the first Orlando holiday villa management company that you speak to.  Ask your Realtor to provide you with at least 3-5 names and start your hunt  A good Orlando vacation home Realtor should be able to provide you with a list of questions to ask the management companies.

Read Also: 10 Questions You Must Ask Before You Hire Any Orlando Property Management Company

Chuck Norris’ house has no doors, only walls that he walks through. Chuck Norris is unfortunately unavailable for home inspections however Orlando is filled with tons of great licensed home inspectors. Your Realtor should be able to provide you with at least two or three names so you can make a choice.  In order to close under 30 days you want to get this inspection done immediately after the contract is executed (signed by all parties).  What’s critical about this is that if there are any issues with the home you can address those immediately.  Sometimes you can find out the air conditioning system isn’t cooling properly or that a sink or toilet is leaking. You will want to have an a/c specialist and a plumber come out and look at it immediately so you can find out what these things will cost to fix.  You could find out it’s not a big deal and everything is great or you could find out you need a whole new a/c and plumbing.  These are all things you want to know upfront and as soon as possible.

Chuck Norris doesn’t read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
You on the other hand will have to actually read and what you need to be reading are what’s called the Homeowners Association (or condo association) bylaws for any Kissimmee, Davenport or Clermont vacation home.  This is the document that talks all about what you can and can’t do with your home while living in the neighborhood.  Restrictions like these are actually good things as they prevent your neighbor from painting their house hot pink or puke green however, there may be issues such a whether or not you are allowed to put a fence up in your backyard.  These are the kind of details you want to find out within the first three or four days of your contract being accepted.  Remember, we’re shooting for a 30 day closing so I would even go as far as having your Realtor dig up this information before the contract gets accepted.  Chances are, if your Realtor has sold houses in that specific community before and an electronic copy is available than he/she should be able to email that over to you.

Chuck Norris is the only person in the world that can actually email a roundhouse kick.
If a mortgage is involved make sure the appraisal is ordered within the first five days of the contract being executed.  What does this have to do with a roundhouse kick? Nothing, but I will not be opening any of Chuck’s emails. If you’re paying cash for the property this isn’t something that is absolutely necessary and getting an appraisal is a choice you can make on your own.  If you’re taking a mortgage you no longer have a choice in the matter and it’s a mandatory thing.  Appraisers do not work on your schedule they work on theirs and unless you can get Chuck Norris can send them a roundhouse kick email chances are this task is going to take the longest to accomplish so push your mortgage specialist to get this ordered asap and make sure your Realtor stays on top of this as well.

Chuck Norris can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass. At night.
And if Chuck Norris was your neighbor it’s a possibility that your house could catch on fire too. You want to make sure you have all your angles covered and securing your homeowner’s insurance is also something you want out of the way.  Have your Realtor provide you with some names for you to contact, he/she might even have someone in house that can give you a good price.  Whatever the case just get it done.  Don’t forget to get a short term rental liability policy either or property management companies will not be renting your house out.  This is something than can be done after closing but most Kissimmee, Clermont and Davenport homeowners insurance companies will offer this policy as well since short term rental homes are a huge part of our market.

Chuck Norris can divide by zero.
That’s amazing. . .What’s not amazing is if you get to the closing table and you find that you’re short on funds.  That’s a really big inconvenience to you and the seller so I highly suggest that you request a preliminary HUD-1 from the title company at least 10 days before closing to ensure everything adds up and you are prepared to close. At least this way you will have plenty of time to penny pinch and analyze the fees on your closing statement.  You may even be able to get some unnecessary “junk” fees removed.  The closing table or the day before is not the time to be doing this so keep that in perspective and urge your Realtor to get you a copy as soon as the title company has it available.

When the Boogey man goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
I highly suggest you do the same.  The last thing you want to do is wait until an hour before closing to do your final walk-thru inspection and have Chuck Norris jump out of the closet. I recommend doing this no sooner than 24 hours in advance if you can, this way if anything is missing or out of place you have time to sort it out.  If you wait until it’s too close to closing you risk holding up the closing and if it’s on a Friday you now have to wait until Monday if it doesn’t close.  Not good for anyone involved, especially Chuck Norris.

Random Chuck Fact: Google cannot even find Chuck Norris. True Story, see for yourself.

Awesome Chuck Facts Provided By: Chuck Norris Facts
Awesome Pics: One Reason Why

Everything You Need To Know About Legacy Dunes Condos in Kissimmee & Why They are So Cheap!

Why are Legacy Dunes Condos in Kissimmee So Cheap?

Top 20 Most Critical and Frequently Asked Questions About Buying and Owning an Orlando Vacation Home

Reason #1: Legacy Dunes Condo Association Fees are Very High  for What You Are Getting
Now I’m not against Condo fees like some of you may think, I am all for them when they are within reason but Legacy Dunes Condos not only charge high condo association fees but they don’t even justify it by including much.  The condo fees cover the common areas, and trash removal. . . don’t all cheer at once.  The fees are different per floor plan however paying almost $200 per month for a 1/1  600 sq ft condo probably doesn’t excite many Kissimmee home buyers.

Request Legacy Dunes Condo Association Fees List

Reason #2: Legacy Dunes in Kissimmee is Not a Fannie Mae Approved Community
If you’re a cash buyer this basically means nothing to you however for those of you who will be going through the process of taking a mortgage and putting less than 20% down this property does not qualify for your loan.  So to compensate and reach the cash buyers the prices in this community have dropped drastically.  This one fact makes Legacy Dunes condos in Kissimmee a steal of a deal for cash buyers only. . . bringing me to my next point.

Orlando Fannie Mae Approved Neighborhoods

Reason #3: The Legacy Dunes Condo Association Delinquency Rate is Rumored to be at or Exceeding 15%
With over 400 unites in the complex this shouldn’t necessarily raise too many eyebrows but the reason I bring up this point is because if you are taking a non- FHA loan and even if you are putting at least 20% down the property still may not qualify for the loan.  Lenders will not lend on properties with a homeowners association delinquency rate of more than 15% so even though you qualify for the loan the property itself does not.  I have not spoke to the HOA regarding their delinquency rate however if you run the numbers in my opinion it’s safe to assume the rate has exceeded 15% or will be soon.  There are currently 77 condos listed for sale in Legacy Dunes and only 13 of them are bank owned.  The rest are all short sales which puts you at 64.  It’s safe to assume that at least those 64 people are not paying their monthly condo association dues.  When you factor that number in with how many units there are in the neighborhood the number is right around 15%.

Reason #4: 90% of the condos currently for sale in Legacy Dunes are Short Sales
This is the biggest reason why Legacy Dunes condos are so cheap.  There are currently 77 Condos for sale in Legacy Dunes, 64 of them are short sales.  Short sales are NOT real prices unless stated “bank approved” which is why all the prices look so low.  I’m not going to get into all the reasons why you should avoid short sales like the plague (that’s a whole new article) but if you want to actually close on the condo and become a homeowner in Legacy Dunes the smartest course of action to take would be to stick with the bank owned condos and those are competitive to buy. Please look for our up and coming guide on “How To Buy a Bank Owned Vacation Home Near Disney”.

Legacy Dunes Bank Owned Condo List

That being said, Legacy Dunes is not necessarily a bad option for the vacation home buyer who wants on site management (they take 40% of your booking), who can pay cash and doesn’t mind the steep HOA fees.  You can get a great bank owned deal in Legacy Dunes Condos right now however please keep in mind that the community itself is not as glamorous in reality as it is in the pictures.  If you dont mind the drab colors and not so fancy clubhouse than jump on it because there are currently bidding wars on the bank owned condos in Legacy Dunes and if you’re not ready to make a move you will miss out.  The prices have hit rock bottom in there and now is the time to get in on it.

Get Our Free Legacy Dunes Neighborhood Report Packed With Everything You Need To Know Before You Buy

Legacy Dunes HOA Contact Information
Legacy Dunes HOA Fees
Legacy Dunes Long and Short Term Rental Rates
Legacy Dunes School Zoning Information
Legacy Dunes Property Tax Information
Legacy Dunes Neighborhood Information
Legacy Dunes Property Management Contracts and Much More!

$104,900 :: 103 ATHABASCA DR, KISSIMMEE FL, 34759

3 beds, 2.00 baths
Property Size: 1,889 sq ft
Lot Size: sq ft
Added: 01/23/09, Last Updated: 03/13/09
Property Type: Residential / All, Residential / Single Family
MLS Number: V4618562
Tract: POINCIANA SUB NBRHD 6 VIL 7
The Price of this Listing was last reduced on 3/14/2009 by 0%

Bank Owned. 100% financing may be available. Seller will assist with closing costs upto4%. This is a brand new home and has never been lived in.

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Brought to you by The Flamingo Team at Cozy Homes Real Estate. Contact us today for more information on this property.

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The Expense vs Income Vacation Home Chart

DISNEY AREA SHORT TERM RENTAL MATH

So, where is the profit?

The following figures assume that, doing your own bookings, you will be able to rent out the house for 35 weeks a year and the outgoings are taken from my own homeowners accounts. You will note that the expenses between the different size of homes do not vary all that much which is an important consideration with regard to the amount of mortgage a home can stand.

INVESTMENT PROPERTY ANALYSIS
	3 BED HOMES	4 BED HOMES	5 BED HOMES	6 BED HOMES
Income per week (average amount over years doing your own bookings)	$600	$700	$800	$900
Annual Gross Rental	$21000	$24500	$28000	$31500
OPERATING EXPENSES
Real Estate Taxes	$2900	$2900	$3000	$3000
Hazard Insurance	$650	$750	$800	$850
Homeowners Assn	$250	$250	$250	$250
Management Fees	$1080	$1080	$1440	$1440
Pool/Lawn/Pest Care	$1860	$1860	$1860	$1860
Utilities	$3720	$3720	$3720	$3720
Cable TV/Phone	$720	$720	$720	$720
Cleaning fees (25 per year)	$1375	$1625	$1875	$2125
Licensing Fees	$200	$200	$200	$200
Estimated Total Outgoings	$12755	$13105	$13865	$14165
Income Left after Expenses	$8245	$11395	$14135	$17335
Mortgage Payments
Based on an interest rate of 6% you will pay approx. $720 per year per $10000 borrowed, so the mortgage amount set to break even on the above figures would be approx. as follows:
	$114514	$158264	$196320	$240763
The amount of down payment is your investment that dictates the final price of the home you can afford. The important thing is to keep your mortgage payment close to the parameters above. Please remember that the rental income shown above is based on you doing your own bookings. Most management companies will not pay this amount. Some will pay a fixed rate for each week rented out, others will pay you a percentage of the income they take. When you think that the average price of a 4 bed home is ranged between $250,000 and $300,000 you will be looking at a minimum investment of $100,000. But don’t be put off if you do not want to put down so much money and don’t want to do your own bookings.

The 9 Best Kissimmee Gated Communities to Own a Vacation Home In

I like gated communities, I like them because they do a good job of keeping solicitors away and even though people can still get in, they just have the effect of making me feel safe at night.  This post is The Flamingo Ode to the best Kissimmee gated communities near Disney.   I hope you find it helpful in your search for an Orlando vacation home property.

BellaVida

The BellaVida resort in Kissimmee, FL is every bit as lovely as its Italian name.  What it lacks in amenities it makes up for in architecture, charm and location.  BellaVida vacation homes are walking distance to shops and have a unique Tuscan charm.  Bella Vida is comprised of townhouses and single family villas.  Many of the homes are brand new and also over priced however, there are some bank owned townhomes and villas in BellaVida that make it a worthy option for your Kissimmee vacation home purchase.

BellaVida Homes For Sale

Emerald Island Resort

If you’re the kind of person who wants it all and wants it all for a good price than Emerald Island is the place for you.  The Emerald Island resort features a Community Heated Pool, Fitness Center, Parks, Tiki Bar and Rec Building.  The gate is manned and the entrance makes you feel like your at a world class resort, not a Kissimmee Residential Neighborhood.    The community is comprised of Signle Family Homes and Townhomes ranging from $120,000 to over $500,000.

Emerald Island Homes For Sale

Encantada

Bring your tennis racquets to Encanda in Kissimmee.  The Encantada community is sure to be a vacation home you’ll enjoy for years to come with a guarded gate entrance, exotic community pool and clubhouse.  The architecture and colors will make you feel like your in the Caribbean somewhere and the prices of these town homes will make you feel like you just walked into a Wal-Mart rollback special.  Did I mention that some of the Encantada townhomes even have their own private pools with screened enclosures? Encantada has bank owned townhomes starting barely over $100,000.

Encantada Homes for Sale

Formosa Gardens

Formosa gardens in Kissimmee, FL is a community unlike the rest.  These estate homes have yards and they are not packed in like sardine cans.  The community is an upscale neighborhood and is reflected in the prices of the homes.  Is Formosa Gardens right for you? Can you justify the price for the return on bookings?  My answer to these common Formosa Gardens real estate questions is simple. . . probably not.  The return you get on the bookings will be a bit higher than many of the other short term rental communities however, it’s not going to be anywhere close to where it needs to be to justify the price.  In my honest opinion, Formosa Gardens is perfect for the homeowner who wants to live there full time or the high end corporation who rents only estate style homes to celebrities and luxury travelers.  Formosa Gardens is not a smart investment for the average vacation home buyer who wants a  good deal for a good price.

Formosa Gardens Homes For Sale

Legacy Dunes Condos

If your looking for Kissimmee condos under $50,000 you’ve come to the right place.  Legacy Dunes Condos in Kissimmee are not only the best value but the quality and amenities you get for the price of these condos will blow you away.  The Legacy Dunes Community features: Two Pools, Clubhouse, Fitness Center, Business Center, Game Room, Tiki Bar, Tots Playground, Barbeque Area, Gazebo, Tennis Courts, Basketball Courts, Golf Driving Practice Net, Lakes & Conservation Areas, Covered Parking Garages, Two Car Washing Facilities and Two Laundry Facilities.  Did I mention the condos are starting at $24,000?  Why buy a new car when you can invest in one of these Kissimmee vacation home bad boys!

Legacy Dunes Condos For Sale

Paradise Palms Resort

If you like Encantada than you will LOVE the Paradise Palms Resort in Kissimmee.  Though not for the budget conscious it’s definitely a real estate investment that you won’t regret making in the years ahead.  The community is comprised of all townhouses but they are more like attached single family homes as the size of them is larger than many of the detached pool villas in Kissimmee and Davenport.  The townhomes have their own private pools and the community amenity list rivals that of Regal Palms and Reunion.  My favorite thing about Paradise Palms is their tot lot splash park.  I love the fact that the children are not forgotten in this community and did I mention the gorgeous interiors and furniture packages?  Somebody stop me before I go buy one. . .

Paradise Palms Townhouses For Sale

Sunset Lakes

I can’t believe I am actually going to say this but here it goes, “Location, Location, Location!” It’s true about Sunset Lakes in Kissimmee, FL.  This single family home gated community is so centrally located to Disney it should be a part of the resort!  Aside from it’s perfect location it makes my list for the reason that it’s tried and true.  Sunset Lakes Homes have been going strong with bookings for over 10 years now.  They are a solid investment for the short term vacation home buyer and the price range is reasonable.  There are bank owned properties for sale in Sunset Lakes right now so you can pick up a deal. You can also pick up homes in Sunset Lakes that have transferrable bookings for 2009.

Sunset Lakes Homes For Sale

Windsor Hills

Whether you are looking for a condo, townhouse or single family home Windsor Hills in Kissimmee has it.  This lovely gated community is only 2 miles to Disney, so technically you could ride your bike there to avoid parking fees (that was a joke but I am sure there are people who will do it).  Windsor Hills is considered the Buckingham Palace of Kissimmee.  The homes are absolutely gorgeous, spacious and grand and you will get what you pay for.  Speaking of what you pay for, prices for Windsor Hills Pool Villas start in the low 300′s.  That’s a small price to pay for a Windsor Hills address.

Windsor Hills Homes For Sale

Windsor Palms (formerly Wyndham Palms)

Think of Windsor Palms in Kissimmee as the competitive big sister to Windsor Hills.  Located just on the opposite end of 429 Windsor Palms is much smaller than Windsor Hills but is very comparable in every way.  Windsor Palms offers Condos, Townhouses and Single Family Homes and the villa layouts are perfect for short term rental use.  Many have double master suites and some of the larger houses go up to 6 bedrooms for maximum booking potential.

Winsdsor Palms Homes For Sale

Why You Need a Realtor If You’re Purchasing a Disney Area New Built Home

Purchasing a new built home from a builder can seem like an easy task for a buyer who lives 10 minutes up the street and can monitor the process however if you live out of state or in another country the new construction avenue can be a complicated process if you don’t have someone looking out for you and your home here in the area.

Read Also: Top 5 Best New Home Disney Area Resort Communities

Disney Area Builder’s Sale People Are Not Working For You!

This is the number one rule that buyers always seem to get confused about.  You walk into a new home sales office and are greeted by some friendly faces.  You browse the models and then talk with the builders sale rep for a while about the community.  You establish a rapport with this sale person and you now feel like you know, like and trust him/her.  This may very well be the case but this sales rep works for the builder just like a seller’s agent works for the seller of a house.  If you want your best interest represented and you want someone looking our for YOU not the person who gives them their weekly paycheck than you must seek the professional assistance of a local Realtor who knows the area.  This service is usually always free to you (the builder pays your Realtor) and the Realtor has a fiduciary duty to you not the builder.

Read Also: Why Builder’s Sales People Are Not Looking Out For Your Best Interest

Disney Area Realtors Will Be Your Eyes and Ears While You’re Away

Most any Realtor that you choose to represent you in your new home purchase will be more than glad to become your eyes and ears while you’re not around.  A good Realtor will drive by your property while under construction at least one to two times per week, take pictures, check on the property and report back to you with this information. Often times the builders sales reps are just too busy selling more homes and peddling paperwork to take this type of time out of their day for you.   Without pictures of the progress on your home you really have no way of knowing

how far along the home is in completion,
if everything is being installed correctly,
if the upgrades you ordered actually end up in the house

and the list can goes on.

Read Also: Coolest Things That Your Disney Area Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Can Do For You

Important Walk Thrus and Check Ups You May Not Be Able To Make
One of the most important jobs your Realtor can perform for you is the final walk thru.  This is when the home is completed and you are required to walk thru and inspect the property, sign off that everything is or isn’t okay and order any last minutes fixes or repairs.  If you don’t have anyone you trust to do this for you and you can’t do it your self you may end up in the position of having your home sit past the closing date and incurring additional fees for holding up the closing until you can get down here to inspect it. Realtors are virtually the only professionals that are willing to do this for you without charging you a fee (the builder pays their commission).  Home inspectors will charge you upwards of $300 to preform this action.  I can’t tell you how many time I have done walk thrus for my clients that lived out of state or country because they couldn’t get a flight out or they just couldn’t make it at that time.  Had they not appointed me as their Realtor it would have cost them thousands in the end.

IMPORTANT!!!
In closing I want to add that if you are considering a Disney area new home purchase and you want to be represented for free by a Realtor that you should always consult the Realtor of your choice before you visit the property. many builders will not compensate your Realtor and allow them to represent you if they are not the first person to escort you or register you for that community.

Black Lake Park in Winter Garden, Florida Has Big Plans for Neighborhood Stop Sign Abusers

I just got word today that the Black Lake Park homeowners association has worked out a deal with the Winter Garden police department to set up stop sign traps in the community beginning asap.

Last week there was an unfortunate event that sparked the HOA to hold a meeting a put this plan into accident.  Two cars collided near the front entrance of Black Lake Park. The accident took place inside the community, both passengers remained uninjured however the cars weren’t so fortunate.

There is a stop sign when you first come into the community straight ahead right before the park and clubhouse.  I have seen cops hiding in the bushes right there and writing tickets.  I recommend stopping at all the stop signs in Black Lake Park in order to avoid an unwanted ticket.  I don’t believe these cops will be showing any mercy.

Homes For Sale in Black Lake Park Winter Garden, FL

Cool Site to Advertise Your Florida Short Term Rental Villa for Free

I came across this neat site a I was browsing the web the other day and I wanted to share it with you.  It’s called Rentmeavacation.com and it’s totally FREE to advertise your short term rental villa on. It appears to be popping up on the first page of a google blog search with the search term “Kissimmee” so I imagine it gets a decent amount of traffic.

Pros:

- It has a currency converter that is very easy to use.
- It has very relaxed blog feel to it.  
- You can subscribe to the RSS feed to the specific area you are looking for a vacation rental in. 
-  It has mapping integrated in
-  Unlimited picture uploads
-  It’s completely free

Cons: 

- The search function is not very detailed
- There doesn’t appear to be any way to put your listing at the top
-  Not very many bells and whistles

You get what you pay for but this is a great site to utilize as a free source of advertising your villa. 

Do You Make These Two Common Online Home Shopping Mistakes?

Did you know that if you’re reading this chances are you’re a statistic?. Now there’s nothing wrong with being a statistic but the fact remains that you are and you’re not exempt from these common online home shopping pitfalls.  

“According to the 2008 National Association of Realtors, 87 percent of home buyers used the Internet to search for homes in the past year”

Assuming you are the all knowing real estate master. 

Although you may have possibly found the home of your dreams online all by yourself and you’re proud of that fact (that’s a big deal!) let’s not assume that you should throw in the towel and go get your real estate license.  Yes it is true that the web can offer you mounds of useful tips and research, it would be a mistake to assume that the internet is all you need to buy a house.  The real estate transaction itself is full of  many legalities and could end up costing you more in the end if you don’t have an expert advisor (aka a Realtor). 

Becoming Too Dependent on Mega Listing Sites. 

Many home buyers who start their search for a home online often become dependent on some of the larger listing sites like Realtor.com and Zillow. What you should know about these sites is that though they can be a great resource for searching listings they are not hyper focused to the specific areas you are looking. The best way to get accurate, up to the minute information on the neighborhood you are looking to move is to search for a local real estate blog. The way to tell if you are on a legitimate blog worth reading is to check and see how often the posts are updated.  A good real estate blog is updated at least 4-5 times per week.  You can do a google  blog search for [your city] real estate blogs and this should bring up some sites for you to start combing.  Also try ActiveRain.com for some great local real estate blogs.

Foreign National Buyer Real Estate Scam and How To Spot It

Did you know that before you even step foot onto American soil one or many estate agents may have already had their hands in your pockets? It’s called a builder’s registration and it works like this:

• When a potential home buyer, we’ll call them Buyer A, is interested in a new construction community Buyer A generally contacts the person, we’ll call them Broker B, that was advertising the information.
   
• Broker B then gets your information and knows which community you are interested in.
   
• Broker B calls the builder and fills out what’s called a “broker registration” and that basically says that Buyer A is a client of Broker B and if Buyer A purchases a property in that community Broker B gets paid the commission even if Buyer A doesn’t know about it.
   
• Broker B doesn’t even have to be there for this to happen Broker B just needs Buyer A’s information registered via fax or e-mail before Buyer A arrives at the property.

Now this is not a bad thing in the event that it’s YOUR chosen estate agent that is registering you however, it’s usually not. Because builders are allowed to pay a commission to brokerages all over the world it’s usually an estate agent in your own country that you spoke with, or even your travel agency that knows your coming to the states, that obtained your information and registered you with virtually every builder within a 50 mile radius of where you are staying. This affects you because if you end up working with a great estate agent here in the states and they take you around and show you all the new communities and guide you through the whole process, when they try to register you they find out somebody else that you don’t even know or trust has already done so. It complicates the whole process for you and the agent and also affects you if that agent has offered you a rebate or incentive, you may not be eligible for that anymore. It happens everyday and we see it all the time. Buyers beware of who is taking your information, not just here in the states but in your country as well. The last thing you want to do is become somebody’s paycheck!

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