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. 

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. 

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.

View Celebration Condos For Sale

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 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

Awkward Family Photos- Disney World

A compilation of some of the most awkward family photos ever taken at Disney World. Got some good ones? Send them on in!

This is what happens when you ride “It’s a Small World” too many times. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where’s Waldo’s wife and kids?

 

 

That awkward moment where you realize Rupunzel just might be staring at your butt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View hundreds of not so awkward vacation homes for sale near Disney

Because some people are way too cool for Disney. . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She tried to tell you nicely that she wanted Cinderella but nobody would listen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hope to earn the opportunity of helping you achieve your Orlando 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.

Photos Courtesy of: AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com, blog.teacollection.com, thatawkwarddisneymoment.tumblr.com

 

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

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

 

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”

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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Largest Modern Day Palace in Orlando Goes Up For Sale

The largest modern day family home in not just Orlando but all of America goes up for sale this week. This extravagant mansion, currently under construction in the Reserve at Lake Butler Sound in Winderemere, FL;  is fit for a king and is actually modeled after the royal palace of Louis XVI. If you know anything about Windermere, FL you know that it’s not only home to the famed golf legend Tiger Woods but many other well known athletes and celebrities such as Shaquille O’Neil and is one of the golf capitols of America.

View All Properties For Sale in the Reserve at Lake Butler Sound Here

What type of price tag can you expect to roll out for a Windermere mansion the size of approximately 40 average single family homes? $100,000.00 is the listing price of this Butler Chain of Lakes beauty. So what exactly does your $100,000.00  buy you beside a Windermere address, celebrity neighbors and some fancy architecture? Here are some of the features you can expect in this unique Windermere gem:

Windermere Second Homes For Sale

The property is located on a 10+ acre peninsula with 12,000 square feet of shoreline on the famed Lake Butler chain of lakes. The property has 13 Bedrooms and 23 Bathrooms, Three Pools, a 20 Car Garage, 60×120 Grand Hall, 47 ft high Stained Glass Dome, a 6,000 sq ft. Master Bedroom, Fitness Center, Multiple Spas, Children and Adults Theaters, Arcade, Bowling and Two Tennis Courts, a Boathouse, 1 Story Gatehouse with Apartment, a Baseball Field, 10 Satellite Kitchens, Two Story Wine Cellar, Rock Grotto with Three Separate Spas behind an 80 Ft. Waterfall, Indoor Roller Rink, a Japanese Steakhouse Island that seats 12, a His and Her Office with a 12 ft. two sided Aquarium and the list goes on! So how’s that for a Windermere, FL vacation home?

Orlando Mansion Foreclosures For Sale

If you would like to know more about this property or other properties for sale in the South West Orlando area you can contact us today or begin searching Orlando homes here.  For a free, private consultation on owning a second home in the Orlando area you can contact us here.  We’re happy to answer all of your vacation and second home questions!

How To Ditch Your Bad Florida Realtor

If You Don’t Like Your Florida Realtor

So your Realtor was great over the phone, did their job, always got back to you and helped you get everything prepared but after you met and started working together he/she just didn’t seem to hold up to their first impression they gave you. This would be an unfortunate situation to find yourself in after you’ve spent all the time and money on your trip down here to purchase a property. If it’s just an issue of your personalities not meshing well than my advice would be- If they know what they’re doing and are experienced you may want to try to work through the personality issues.  At this point you run the risk of choosing someone new out of desperation and could end up with someone worse.

If your Realtor just doesn’t know what they are doing and can’t seem to give you any relevant information about the properties or even worse, doesn’t even show up than I have a couple of suggestions for you that shouldn’t waste too much of your inspection trip time:

• Contact their broker and let the broker know about your concerns and your experience with this Realtor so far and see if they have someone else in that office they can refer you to.
• Pull out that original list you made when you were interviewing Realtors and try contacting one of the other two Realtors.  They just might have some availability and can squeeze you in.
• If you are staying in a vacation home neighborhood, go to the nearest shopping center and see if there is a real estate company within that plaza, trying walking in and explaining your situation.  Explain to them what you are looking for in a Realtor and see if they have someone who is willing to take you out on last minutes notice.

I certainly don’t advise finding another Realtor at the last minute as that usually ends up in disaster however, sometimes these things just happen and Realtors just don’t workout.  Try and prepare for this situation ahead       of time and maybe have a Realtor in the back of your mind as a back up plan. Make sure you hold on to that itinerary, your next Realtor will need this so they know which properties you want to see before you leave.  If          you do switch Realtors, as a professional courtesy, let your current Realtor know that you are no longer going to be working with them so they don’t wonder what happened to you.

Remember, when it comes to buying vacation property in Orlando, if you fail to plan than you plan to fail. For a complete road map and guideline to getting from point A to Z and avoiding all the pitfalls in between when buying your vacation rental home in Florida be sure to check out our up and coming e-course “Everything You Wish You Knew Before Buying a Florida Vacation Rental Home”

Legacy Dunes Condos- Expect To Pay More in Kissimmee’s Best Value Vacation Condo Resort

I’ve been getting a lot of inquiries on Legacy Dunes this past week from investors that are just looking for a solid, inexpensive investment in the Disney area.  Many of the investors who are buying property in here don’t have any intention of using it for short term.  Some plan on renting it for a year and then trying to flip it, some just want to rent it full time and live in it for retirement and some are just buying it because it’s cheap and they will figure out the details later.  Whatever the case may be there is one thing that is certain. . .

If you plan on investing in a Legacy Dunes condo in Kissimmee you can plan to pay above asking price!

The comps don’t lie.  I’ve comped out every sold condo recorded in the MLS for the past six months and 70% of them sold for over asking price.  Some were a mere thousand over asking and some were as much as $16,000 OVER ASKING PRICE! What this tells me is that if people are willing to continuously pay over asking price for these condos that our market has absolutely hit a rock bottom and the comps are reflecting that.  

Legacy Dunes Bank Owned Condos For Sale

Legacy Dunes used to be a place where the average investor who just wanted a cheap vacation rental condo in Orlando could get a great deal.  Now it’s turned into a feeding frenzy for investors looking to cash in on the rock bottom short term rental investment that is still in decent condition.

If you’re up for the challenge of trying to buy a condo in Legacy Dunes, here are the new rules of the game:

Rule #1: Don’t underbid or you won’t get the condo!

Rule #2: Submit your highest and best offer.  In most cases, you only get one shot of submitting your bid so make sure it’s the highest you’re willing to pay.

Request the Full Legacy Dunes Sold List For 2009

Rule #3: Be ready to jump on the listing right away! Time is of the essence when you have 20 other hungry investors trying to buy the same condo.

Rule #4: Have your rental strategy mapped out ahead of time.  If you plan on renting it, make sure it’s rental ready asap so you don’t get stuck with it too long! Those condo fees are high and will start to eat a hole into your bottom line.

View All Condos For Sale in Legacy Dunes Kissimmee

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?

3 Quick and Easy Ways To Improve Your Vacation Rental Ad in 2010

As I was browsing HomeAway tonight looking for a vacation rental I noticed one ad in particular that caught my eye over all of the other ads.  This ad was nothing special but it had three things going for it that most of the others did not. If your vacation rental ad on HomeAway or VRBO doesn’t already consist of these three things than I would advise you to consider implementing these tips into your ad and you will most likely notice a higher click-thru rate in 2010.

1. Accept Online Payments
The very first thing I noticed about this ad over the others was that it accepts online payments.  I don’t know about you but I’m a creature of convenience and love to keep things as simple as possible.  If a customer can quickly and easily pay online for their vacation rental and does not have to deal with calling a management company  or owner to arrange payment than they will be much more likely to book your property over one that makes them jump through the hoops to make payment.  Many owners don’t implement this concept for many reasons.  Some of the most common reasons are they either don’t know how to set it up or they don’t want to pay the fees that are assessed when accepting credit card payments.  It takes about 2 minutes to set up a Pay-Pal account and start accepting credit card payments.  If you decide to start accepting online payments be sure to list it on your ad!

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2. Reviews
The second reason I clicked on this ad was because it had more reviews than the other vacation condos listed on that page.  No matter how happy your customers may be after they leave your vacation home, getting a testimonial from them is sometimes one of the hardest things to do.  It’s not because they didn’t think your place was great but in most cases it’s just plain inconvenient for people to go to your website and leave feedback or send you an email with feedback.  There are many methods you can implement for getting more feedback from your guests and I will go into that in another post but it’s important that you get as many of your guests as possible to leave you a review about your property.

Don’t forget to join the waiting list for The Pink Flamingo’s up and coming e-book “Everything You Wish You Knew BEFORE Buying a Florida Vacation Rental Home“

3. Great Cover Photo
The subject of what makes a great vacation rental ad photo is debatable by many but what I loved most about this particular ad was that it didn’t have the same picture of either the kitchen or living room as all of the other vacation rentals did.  This photo showcased exactly what I was looking for and that was an amazing view and a great location.  The photo that you put on the front of your ad is going to be the first and in some cases the only picture that prospective renters are going to see, so make it count!  If your home is in a tropical location like Florida it’s great to show a picture of the ocean view or the pool and spa area.  Take into consideration what you are trying to sell and that’s a vacation not a house. People make purchases based on emotional reasons so learn to push those emotional buttons in your ad and watch the click-thru rate and bookings sky rocket!

Here’s to 2010 and all of the bookings you will be getting for your vacation rental!

Four Free Ways To View Local Orlando Real Estate From Afar

Trying to find the perfect vacation rental investment from thousands of miles away can often become a very frustrating task. Homes might look great in the pictures online but what does the surrounding area look like?  If you’re not utilizing at least one of these five free mapping tools listed here than you you may be in for a huge surprise when you arrive here in Orlando for your property inspection trip.

1. Bing Birds Eye View: Birds Eye View from Bing is one of my favorite free mapping tools on the market. It’s so easy to use and gives an very clear picture of not only the home but also the surrounding area. It also offers an ariel/satellite view which is similar to what google has.

2. Google Street View: Some pretty funny stuff has been caught on Google street view but we’ll save that for the What the Flock section. Google street view is great for just about anything but above all it’s amazing for researching real estate.  It’s the second best thing to actually being able to walk or drive the streets your self.  Google street view offers you a 360* view of the street.  This is great if you want to see what your future neighbor’s houses look like or what your walk to the clubhouse will be like.

3. Map Quest:

Compared to Bing and Google, Mapquest seems to be the awkward kid at school but even the awkward kids are good at something and mapquest is still my number one choice for driving directions and route planning.  Mapquest even has the 360* and ariel view options. What’s great about Mapquest is you can map the route with an ariel view and also add tons of cool options to your route like gas stations, traffic reports and much more. Mapquest is a very useful program for checking the distance and route from your potential vacation home to Disney or other popular destinations.

4. Google Earth:

Google Earth deserves it’s very own post but I’m throwing the short version in because it’s THAT important to know about and utilize in your property searches.  Google earth integrates street view, ariel view and so much more.  You can view the sun exposure at any hour of the day, see what your neighborhood looked like 3 years ago and if you’re an astronomy nerd like me you’ll love that you can even view the night sky from the house that your researching.  How cool is that? Google earth is  free to download and will become your best friend when trying to purchase and research a home from thousands of miles away.

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