New DR Horton Home Sold

Congratulations to the new home owners! Daniel Young’s clients closed on their brand new home, built by DR Horton & located in Lake Tracy, this month and we wish them all the best!

The owners opted for the ‘Fernandez’ model, which is single-story home consisting of three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,191 square feet of living space. Lake Tracy Estates features lake front homesites, a gazebo, tot lot and community park.

Just off of US 17-92, this Haines City gem is minutes from 1-4 and Central Florida attractions.  Lake Tracy Estates is part of the “Heart of Florida,” with its centralized location in the state and warm welcoming charm.

Take a peek at the floorplan here:

It’s Hurricane Season. Are You Prepared?

I’m pretty sure you’ve all heard about Tropical Storm ‘Erika’ making her way towards Florida. She started out as a Category 1 hurricane and since then become a tropical storm. Since she’s headed our way, we figured it’s a great time to share some hurricane tips with you.

Hurricane season starts June 1 and ends November 30, but it seems like September is when the hurricanes usually hit us Floridians. Although, ‘Erika’ has decreased in strength, it’s still a good idea for all of us to prepare for the worst. Below are a few checklists, provided by News 13,  for those living in the hurricanes path.

Item Checklist:

1. Flashlights & extra bulbs
2. Battery-operated radio
3. Batteries (different sizes)
4. First Aid Kit
5. Matches
6. Duct Tape
7. Rain Gear
8. Battery powered clock
9. Garbage Bags
10. Fire Extinguisher
11. Scissors
12. Can Opener
13. Clean Clothes
14. Extra Blankets
15. Heavy Duty Gloves

House Checklist:

1. Remove outdoor items i.e. furniture, statues
2. Board up window
3. Trim any loose, heavy branches from trees
4. Fill gas tanks & containers
5. Have extra cash
6. Move furniture away from windows
7. Store important documents in waterproof containers
8. Extra supply of medicines

Food & Water

1. Bottled water
2. Bottled juice
3. Two coolers- one for drinks & one for food
4. Canned foods
5. Manual Can Opener
6. Extra pet food

Be safe this hurricane season!

10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Realtor®

1. That price is ridiculous.

If you’re dealing with a professional agent, especially one who has a good track record in the business, it’s fair to assume he/she’s done their homework on comparables and is recommending an offer price based on the local market and your financial situation. Most agents are going to expect some conversation to take place around pricing, but insisting on a price simply because it’s what you want to pay doesn’t typically play out well.

2. But Zillow said my house is worth $40,000 more than what you’re telling me.

Zillow has become an industry juggernaut. While their home pricing estimates, known as “Zestimates,” aim to inform buyers and sellers, they’ve been proven to be off by a whopping amount—somewhere between the 8% Zillow claims and upwards of 20%, 40%, even 61% depending on the house and the location, according to a recent L.A. Times report, said Housingwire.

3. I know what my home is worth.

Not really. Your estimation of your home’s worth may be based on neighborhood comps, but it’s probably also colored by your emotions or by what you need to make from the sale. It’s hard to separate out your personal connection. That’s why it’s important to let your Realtor be an impartial professional.

USA Today4. I have a perfect credit score.

“Unless you’re part of the 0.5% of consumers who reach the 850 mark, it’s time to be real about your credit score and your financial ability to buy a home,” said Agent Ace.

Overvaluing your credit, your down payment, or any other aspect of your buying ability, is pointless. Everything is going to come out during the buying process anyway.

5. I’m not going to bother getting pre-approved.

To an agent, this can indicate that you’re not a serious buyer. Or that you don’t understand the process.

In tight markets, you’re at a disadvantage if you aren’t ready to pull the trigger right away when you find a house. You could very well lose out because another buyer was ready with their pre-approval and you were just getting in touch with your lender.

And, as Lighter Side of Real Estate points out, “An agent worth his or her salt won’t agree to invest countless hours showing homes to someone who isn’t approved for a loan.”

6. I have between $200,000 and $2,000,000 to spend with any number of bedrooms in any location.

Open-ended budgets and limitless expectations are great, but giving your agent a little more guidance can help him zero in on viable options. When you have no idea where or what you want to buy, most agents won’t embrace the idea of spending countless hours trying to narrow it down.

7. I’m not doing any repairs.

Sellers want to think their house is perfect, but inspections may show otherwise. Drawing a line before you even know what problems may exist can be frustrating for an agent. It’s her job to get you the best possible price, but unreasonable expectations make that more difficult.

GruntWorks Home Services8. You can cut your commission. I mean, you make a ton of money.

While commissions are often negotiable, assuming an agent will cut it—especially when they’ve been approached in a callous or sarcastic manner, isn’t the way to go about getting what you want.

9. I’m not ready to buy…I just wanted to see a few homes.

People looooove having their time wasted. Especially busy agents who could be out dealing with serious buyers instead of showing homes to someone who isn’t sure they’re even in the market.

“The best real estate agents are busy individuals for a reason. Their services are highly in demand and thus their time is valuable,” said Agent Ace. “It’s ok if you’re just looking around and aren’t sure whether or not you’re ready to take the leap; but if that’s the case, be upfront at the start not after several showings.”

10. Can you give me some advice about my house? I don’t want to hire an agent.

Most people wouldn’t approach a CPA to do their taxes without hiring him or expect a lawyer to write up a divorce agreement without paying, but real estate agents often yield questions from people looking for free advice. Most will answer a question or two, but there is a limit.

Article borrowed from Realty Times®.

Why Are Professional Real Estate Pics So Important?

I bet you’ve seen some pretty jacked up real estate photos, probably when you were searching for an apartment to rent or a house to buy. I’m a Realtor, and trust me when I say that I see it every single day.

Have I ever used my iPhone to take listing photos? Guilty. But cut me some slack, it was when I first entered the biz. Since then, I’ve invested in a professional camera, lenses, and some light editing software and watched hours and hours of professional real estate photography videos on YouTube. Now I’m no professional, but I do take pride in calling myself an ‘amateur photographer.’ I enjoy taking real estate photos for myself, colleagues at my brokerage and a few property managers in the Disney area.

Why are good pictures so important in real estate? They get those buyers and renters through the door.  How do they earn more traffic? They show off the space in the most flattering of ways! Not to mention the lighting. Believe me, that iPhone flash isn’t as bright as you think and doesn’t give half the shot as a wide-angled lens would. More traffic = more offers!!

Here are some examples of a listing I shot for my broker yesterday. The first shots were taken with my iPhone 6 Plus and the photos to follow were taken with my Sony Alpa 6000 camera with 10-18mm lens and external flash. 

                                            See what I mean? Here’s another…

Last one…

Your investment in professional real estate photos will pay off! Trust me.

Post by: Alicea Salgado

Meritage Home Sold in Winter Garden

This month, Daniel Young and some lucky clients closed on a brand new four-bedroom home built by Meritage Homes. The home is located in Winter Garden, just off of Seidel Road and only ten minutes from Winter Garden Village. The new sub-division goes by the name “Watermark.”

Meritage Homes include lots of energy-efficient features, even with their standard models! The ‘Jasmine’ model included dual-flush toilets, ENERGY STAR® Appliances & programmable thermostat, spray foam insulation and weather-sensing irrigation, just to name a few.

The two-story home purchased by Daniel’s clients consists of four bedrooms, three and a half baths and is just over 3,600 square feet!!!! Take a look at the spacious floorplan below.
If you or someone you know is looking into purchasing new-construction, feel free to give Daniel a shout. Trust me, he knows his stuff and can recommend the builder to meet your needs.

I-Drive 360 on International Drive in Orlando

Looking for something to do in Orlando? Here’s an idea! One new spot in town called I-Drive 360 is home of the Orlando Eye and lots of other hotspots for tourists and locals!

At I-Drive 360 you’ll find plenty of good eats, like Outback, Tin Roof, Ben & Jerry’s, Yardhouse (my personal fav), and lots of others. The dining options are just the tip of the iceburg. Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and the Orlando Sea Life Aquarium are also located in this large entertainment complex! Within walking distance, you have King’s Bowling Alley, McFadden’s Sports bar and Ripley’s Believe it or Not. Trust me, you can’t get bored here.

So far, I’ve experienced the Orlando Eye and a few of the restaurants at I-Drive 360. Whether you live in the area or are just visiting, I say you take a ride on the Orlando Eye. It isn’t your average ferris wheel, that’s for sure. This thing is 400 feet tall and provides 360-degree views of Orlando you can’t get anywhere else. I recommend going after 8pm when the city is lit up, but that’s just me. I’m saving Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum and the Sea Life Aquarium for rainy days. I look forward to selfie’s with Brad Pitt’s and Audrey Hepburn’s wax doubles.

Well there you have it! Plenty of fun places to go and things to do on I-Drive in Orlando.

Check back regularly for more Orlando fun!

4 Tips for Restarting a Savings Plan for Homeowners

Below is an article I pinched form Trulia, written by Kayla Albert. I don’t usually like to copy and paste articles, but this one is perfect the way it is and very informative for those who reached their savings goals to buy a home and would like to get into a new savings plan.

“If you’ve ever stuck to a regimented eating plan to reach a weight-loss goal, you know how challenging it can be to continue on the path of healthy eating once the scale displays that magic number you’ve been working toward.

Restarting a savings plan when you’ve already diligently saved — and spent — the money allocated for the down payment on your new home is much the same way. You managed to reach a monumental peak, and switching your mindset back to saving just feels like deprivation.

If you are ready to restart your savings plan, these ideas will jump-start your motivation and help you continue to reinforce your financial foundation.

1. Try a savings challenge 

Are you motivated by a good challenge? Then turning your financial goals into a game can give your competitive nature an awesome outlet — your bank account.

The 52-week savings challenge pushes you to save an allocated amount each week — $1 for week one, $2 for week two, $3 for week three, etc. Despite the small deposits in the beginning, by week 52 you’ll have $1,378 saved.

Another challenge that can yield big results is the “no spend” challenge. Say goodbye to mindless spending and commit to a period when no money will go to anything besides necessities (i.e., your mortgage, food, and utilities). Take the amount you now have left over at the end of the month and sock it away.

2. Attach saving to treating yourself 

Hard work shouldn’t come without reward, and saving is no different.

Once you’ve determined the what, when, and why of your savings goals, decide on a percentage you can spend once you’ve reached them.

Say you need to build up your emergency fund buffer to a comfortable $15,000. Once you’ve reached that goal, allow yourself 10% to spend on something of your choosing.

If you’re not motivated by the goal (and an emergency fund might be a hard thing to muster up excitement for), you will at least be excited about the reward at the end.

3. Use visual cues

It’s easy to let everyday spending take precedence over saving when the end goal seems so far away. After all, we are far more attached to the here and now than a milestone we can’t picture reaching.

However, visual cues — such as pictures or notes — can remind you of what you’re working toward and why, and help redirect spending behavior in the moment.

The more you see the visual cue, the better. So plaster them around your house, in your car, at your desk, and more importantly, on the credit or debit card that you use for the majority of your spending.

When your spending has been adjusted, you will notice a shift in the amount of funds available for saving.

4. Think of money in terms of freedom

When saving is equated with deprivation, it’s virtually impossible to get on board with a savings plan. It begins to feel like a cruel form of punishment more than anything else.

Thoughts spur or hinder behavior, so why not change the way you think about the entire savings process?

Saving is actually about creating freedom — freedom to live the life you want. It’s about being intentional with everyday financial decision making so you can decide what you want instead of having the decision made for you.

Instead of calling it your savings account, call it your “freedom fund” and start thinking about how you want to create financial freedom for yourself.”

Top 5 Trends in New-Home Construction

Want to know what the most popular trends are in new-home construction? Well  Home Innovation‘s annual survey on builders practices has revealed the following details on what new-home buyers are looking for these days.

1. Garages: The garage door is getting more enhancements, including windows, insulated doors, and doors made of composite or plastic materials.

2. Flooring: Carpeting continues to be the most popular flooring option for new construction, with about 83 percent of all new-home bedroom installations having carpeting. However, only about 40 percent of living rooms now have carpet. Hardwood flooring – both solid and engineered types – is the second most popular type of flooring, and is included in 27 percent of all new-home installations. Ceramic tile (which appears in 72 percent of all bathroom floor installation) follows in third place, making up 20 percent of all new-home floor installations, according to the survey.

3. Countertops: For kitchen countertops, granite continues to reign at 64 percent of new-home installations. Quartz/engineered stone is gaining popularity while laminate, solid surfacing, and ceramic tile are losing appeal.

4. Appliances: Cooktops and wall oven combinations are gaining in popularity and make up about 24 percent of the market, compared to freestanding ovens (at 45 percent). Freezer-on-bottom refrigerators are gaining in popularity at 19 percent, while side-by-side has fallen to 28 percent of the share.

5. Kitchen sinks: More buyers are paying attention to their kitchen sink, with the single basin kitchen sink making a comeback, growing from 5 percent to 20 percent of all new single-family homes in the past decade. Also growing in popularity are granite/stone kitchen sinks (at 8 percent). One-piece cultured marble lavatories are continuing to decline in demand, according to the survey.

Source: “Material World: The Hottest Trends From the 2015 Builder Practices Survey,” BUILDER Online (July 29, 2015)

Two Bedroom Oakwater Listing Sold

Remember the twin condos I wrote about just under two months ago? Well one has been sold!

2732 Oakwater Drive was listed at $134,990 and sold for $121,000, all cash and closed in less than two weeks. How many days on the market? Exactly 46 days on the market from listing to closing. Not bad Mr. Young!

Let’s refresh your memory on the condo with some details and pictures!

• Two bedroom, two bathroom second floor condo
• 1,015 square feet heated & 1,245 including attached one-car garage
• Sold fully furnished with stainless steel kitchen appliances

Winter Garden Listing Sold

Evergreen said goodbye to a few listings over the last week, and Howie’s Winter Garden listing was one of them. You may remember our blog post from two months ago introducing 12319 Westfield Lakes Circle in Winter Garden. If you don’t, let’s jog your memory…

12319 Westfield Lakes Cir was brought to the market by Homes with Howie. It’s a four bedroom, three bathroom, 3,765 square foot home in Westfield Lakes. The home has it’s own private pool, a stone paved driveway, and even included a pub! The lucky new owners were able to move right in since the home was sold fully-furnished and ready for immediate occupancy.

Congratulations to Howie for selling the home in exactly two months!