Orlando Florida Real Estate Resource

Orlando Florida Real Estate

Orlando's Altamonte Springs Allows You To Avoid The Long Daily Commute! 

Altamonte Springs is conveniently located in the heart of Central Florida, near Orlando, close to the business centers of North Orlando, Lake Mary, Apopka and Maitland. Altamonte Springs is in Seminole County, at the crossroads of Interstate 4 and State Road 436. It is just 15 minutes away from downtown Orlando and a little more than half an hour away from Orlando International Airport.  

Planning to invest in Altamonte Springs real estate?

There has been very rapid growth in the Orlando area, and Altamonte Springs & Orlando real estate is still moving! Altamonte Springs has a lot to offer, including a central location, new condo developments, job opportunities, good schools, entertainment, and shopping at Uptown Altamonte.

Altamonte Springs has beautiful lakes, parks, and nature trails, where nature lovers can have a good time. You can enjoy great fishing and water sports, stroll down the walkways, or just relax on the benches. The warm weather is great!

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Orlando Florida Real Estate

Enjoy World-Class Real Estate & Amenities In The Wild At Orlando's Alaqua!

The Alaqua Country Club is an exclusive country club and golf community, located in Orlando suburb of Longwood, in Seminole County, Florida. The club lies along the Little Wekiva River, in the middle of a heavily wooded area. Alaqua Country Club has a superb 18-hole golf course, designed by golfing legend Gary Player.

The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes has an award-winning Arnold Palmer-signature designed, 18-hole golf course, and is located in an undulating, heavily wooded countryside. It offers breathtaking natural beauty, with excellent real estate, amenities, and service!

Thinking of settling down near Alaqua?

If you want to live near Alaqua, you can consider investing in real estate in Orlando's Longwood, a great Orlando suburb with residential communities that offer boating, golfing, biking, jogging, horseback riding, and more!    

Longwood has a small town atmosphere, and it offers a safe and comfortable life to its residents, even though it is surrounded by a booming metropolitan area. It has brick streets lined with mature live-oak trees, and is well known for its quiet ambience and wonderful weather! 

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Taming the Jumbo Mortgage in the Orlando Florida Real Estate Market

Everyone knows the jumbo loan market has been out of whack for nearly 18 months. "Jumbo" loans, those amounting to more than $417,000, took it on the chin, especially in Orlando Florida's real estate market, when mortgage investors stopped buying subprime and alternative loans. For that reason, jumbo rates can be as much as 1.50 percent higher than conforming rates. Historically, jumbo rates were only about a quarter of a percent higher than a conforming rate, but this new spread has kept many out of the Orlando Florida housing market: especially those that we refer to as, "just jumbo."

So what exactly is "just jumbo?" It's a loan amount that just exceeds the conforming limit of $417,000 and typically reflects a sales price in the $500,000­­-$600,000 range. The Orlando Florida Real Estate market offers many homes in this price category, but the marked difference in rate from conforming to jumbo is slowing down Orlando's real estate sales. What is the difference in payment between a conforming loan at 6 percent and a jumbo loan at 7.50 percent? On a $500,000 jumbo loan, mortgage payments jump from $2,997 to $3,496 a month. That's almost $500 more!

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Orlando Florida Short Sale Q & A

How long does a short sale take in today's Orlando Florida real estate market?
The short sale negotiation process can be quite lengthy, although things keep changing constantly.  A few months ago, it was taking anywhere from 3-4 months...sometimes even longer.  Right now, we're seeing the average timeframe to be about 30 to 45 days.  Some banks are approving short sales in as little as 3 days, while others won't even look at them until 30 days has passed.  The reason for this lengthy process is the multiple parties who have to approve the short sale.  Those with their hands in the pot include the numerous departments within the bank...many not knowing what the others are doing, the investors, the private mortgage insurers, Fannie Mae, and more.  All of these must give their approval.  It's important that as a buyer, you go into a short sale knowing that you'll have to be patient during this long process.

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Do You Know How To Avoid Costly Delays When Getting A Loan For Orlando Florida Real Estate? 

• Pick the Best Local Orlando Florida Lender.

With our daily experience, we can help advise you on the most efficient and reputable lenders in the Orlando Florida area for you to compare for your real estate purchase.

• Write a Longer Contract.

Most home sellers realize getting a loan can take longer today. When writing the sales contract, consider a longer financing period, adding 1 to 2 weeks or more to the normal period. Also consider a contract renewal clause if the mortgage is delayed. This helps everybody plan their moves from the beginning.

• Shop for a Longer Commitment.

Home buyers should consider shopping for a lengthy interest rate commitment when rates are rising. Although 30-day and 60-day "lock-in" periods are typical, some mortgage lenders will offer a longer guarantee period at a higher rate with more points. When mortgage rates are declining, letting the rate "float" may be best.

• Do Your Homework.

The faster you complete your share of the paperwork, the faster the loan is processed. Give attention to addresses with zip codes, names and titles, phone numbers; account numbers and branch bank addresses; credit card numbers, unpaid loan numbers and lender addresses; employer addresses with contact name. Also be sure to include any details or credit problems that will make the loan processor's job easier.

• Forsake the Mail.

In a crunch, be prepared to hand deliver documents if necessary, such as the loan application, tax returns, title reports, insurance policies, or account statements.

• Solve Logjams Yourself.

Knowing what an Orlando Florida real estate mortgage lender needs and where it comes from is one way we can help prod the process along. Sometimes it pays to get to know the loan processor, as well as the loan officer. Regular calls, perhaps weekly, to get the status and ask if documents are complete can also uncover and solve logjams. Specifically, ask about applicant-related verifications of sufficient and stable income, credit and closing funds.

Remember, the lender doesn't want to lose the mortgage any more than you want to lose the house. Working together, we can avoid costly delays. If you want more information on buying and financing, we'll be glad to talk to you.

Looking for specific information regarding Orlando Florida real estate prices and communities?    Get Your Free Market Snapshot.

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If you are wanting to sell your Seminole County or Orlando area home in the next 6 to12 months, now is the time to begin putting your plan into place, while time is still on your side. Please contact us for any real estate assistance you may need.

We're experts at putting people together with homes they love and can afford. Contact us today for information on Orlando and Seminole County real estate, Orlando & Seminole County homes for sale, Orlando & Seminole County relocation information, a free market analysis of your Orlando area or Seminole County home or statistics on homes in Orlando & Seminole County Florida or the surrounding Central Florida area, including Seminole County, Orange County, Lake County and Volusia County. We're always available to answer your questions.